~•,.. SGPHS Mascot Focus Group
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.-~•,.. SGPHS Mascot Focus Group . u1iPr"? GP!SD Date & Time Thursday, April 22, 2021 @ 3:45pm Location The Black Box @ The Alexander Bldg. 2e33229E: .gr; g$2r-g ·zoe• • $e 2ETC + et +a - .. Good Things Ms. Grant Raters & Affirmers Introductions/Roles ALL Video Ms. Grant Reason & Purpose Dr. Alexander 5 Why's Ms. Grant Literature Homework Dr. Alexander Adjourn SGP Mascot Focus Group - 2021 , " legislatures Consider Native "Themed" Mascot Bans "Native Americans are Americans...we are not animals, we are not those who you make a mockery of, we are not those who are treated without dignity. This little bill just says we are going to heal, and honor and respect one another." -- WA State Representative Debra Lekanoff (Tlingit, Aleut), sponsor of HB 1356 North High School ({KS) "Rdskns" On February 8, the Wichita Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to discontinue use of the "Rdskns" mascot at North High School. The 6-0 vote to retire comes after months of community discussion and follows the recommendations of a committee tasked with "looking into the mascot." The school expects to phase out its newly retired moniker within the next two years and will compete as "Wichita North" until a new mascot is installed. Four More Schools Select New Mascots Carthage College (WI) did away with any Native American imagery associated with its "Red Men" and "Lady Reds" mascots years ago, but only recently retired the monikers. The College announced last week that it will now compete as the "Firebirds." Marion High School (IA), once the "Indians," will now compete as the "Mavericks." The new mascot, officially approved by the Marion Independent School District Board of Education last Monday, was selected through a community survey and is expected to be in place for the next school year. Saugatuck High School (MI), also once the "Indians," will now compete as the "Trailblazers." The decision was approved by the Saugatuck Public Schools Board of Education last Monday night, as "Trailblazers" beat out the two other finalists, "Lakers" and "Storm." Also approved last Monday nights, Weyauwega-Fremont High School (WI) will now compete as the "Warhawks." After retiring its "Indians" mascot last October, the Weyauwega-Fremont School District Board of Education conducted multiple community votes before "Warhawks" won out over three other finalists. Legislative Update Several state legislatures across the country are considering legislation banning race-based mascots. In Washington, HB 1356 passed through the House with a bipartisan92-5yote last Tuesday and has now been referred to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee for consideration. If signed by Governor Jay Inslee, school districts would have time to phase out the old mascot, but would be required to select a new one to take effect by the end of the 2021-22 school year. In Massachusetts, Sen. Jo Comerford refiled SD.417, a bill that would prohibit the use of Native American mascots at public schools in the state. A concurrent House bill, HD.646, was also introduced. If signed into law, the bill would require the state's school board to establish a deadline for schools in violation of the new regulations. "It is nearly impossible for Indigenous students to thrive and feel confident in their skin when their heritage is mocked and continuously stereotyped by their school mascot," said Shawna Newcomb (Mashpee Wampanoag), a teacher at Hanover Public Schools. In Colorado, Sen. Jesse Danielson introduced SB 21-116, a bill that would ban the use of Native American mascots, giving schools in the state until June of 2022 to make the necessary changes or face monthly fines of $25,000. "It's long overdue," said Glenn Morris of the Colorado chapter of the American Indian Movement. "There's just no logical justification for them continuing it and ifs just a matter of privilege getting in the way of doing the right thing." The bill is now in the Senate Education Committee for consideration. Ending "Indian" Mascots is an informational service provided by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), which is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities. It hos been leading Indian Country's movement to eradicate offensive "Indian" mascots from sports and popular culture for the post 50 years by educating schools, sports leagues, and the general public about the many harms they cause Native people. To learn more, please click here. Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest. largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments. promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights. 2 i ij 1y, ,£:ccagresss _ Ar, p+, ,:• id, America '8f 1ho ~.! l n d i a n s •~ \ffirft'.0a¡·r 1 r;; nffli'lí" rr t. ., t-st3lll%Ill"#HY'Be , ro.ah . da.ora. o a tao a. .ha • a.. ao.ti.i. oda.o NCAt's "Retiring 'Indian' School Mascots: informing, Tracking, and Fueling a Growing National Movement" Breakout Session Now Available on ouTube Held at NCAl's 77th Annual Convention in November 2020, this session provided an overview of the growing movement among K-12 schools across the country to retire offensive and harmful Native"themed" mascots, its connection to recent developments among professional sports teams, and how NCAI has been working to inform and guide this movement. Session panelists shared about how these efforts have taken shape at the local, state, and national levels; the particular challenges of educating school communities about the impacts school mascots have on both Native and non-Native people; and effective strategies for constructive dialogue focused on why these mascots should be retired - and how. NCAI also shared its recently unveiled national school mascot tracking database, and how it has been using the database to engage and inform local school communities about 1 Indian Country's longstanding opposition to harmful Native "themed" mascots, and the need to retire those mascots. Panelists included: 0 Maulian Dana, Ambassador, Penobscot Nation; º Suzan Shown Harjo, President, Morning Star Institute; " Dr. Aaron Payment, 1st Vice President, National Congress of American Indians; 0 Dr. Leslie Rasmussen, Member, Forest Hills School District Board of Education; and ,. Randy'L Teton, Public Affairs Manager, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes To watch the session video, please click here. To learn more about NCAl's school mascot tracking database, click here. Ending "Indian" Mascots is an informational service provided by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), which is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities. It has been leading Indian Country's movement to eradicate offensive "Indian" mascots from sports and popular culture for the past 50 years by educating schools, sports leagues, and the general public about the many harms they cause Native people. To learn more, please click here. Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights. National Congress of American Indians, Embassy of Tribal Nations, 1516P Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 SafeUnsubscribe" [email protected] Forward email i Update Profile I About our service provider Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today! 2 TOP 10 REASONS WHY 1) Native names, images, or other words associated with Native People, and Native-inspired mascots do not honor Indigenous Peoples, their histories, or their culture. "Being your mascot is not an honor, nor does it honor the bravery of native people." ' 2) Native American Mascots often perpetuate false and negative characterization of Indian people, reinforce stereotypes, and promote prejudice. It erases their identity and culture and forces them to conform to the dominant culture. Native American mascots can diminish American Indian peoples as primitive, savage, relics of the past, or a people vanquished, none of which is true." Furthermore, "what does it say about the values of the district, and how Native American students are treated."? 3) It does not create a safe environment for American Indian students physically, emotionally, and psychologically. (Bullying, discrimination, mocking, violence). "Native peoples remain more likely than any other race to experience crimes at the hands of a person from another race. Native youth experience the highest rates of suicide among young people." 3 4) Medical studies have shown there is psychological damage to American Indian people, especially American Indian children because of racist mascots. The negative psychological effects against American Indian students and "Indian mascots" contribute to the myth that Native peoples are an ethnic group "frozen in history". 5) The use of American Indian-based names, mascots, and logos in sports have a negative psychological effect on Native peoples and positive psychological consequences for European Americans.5 6) The rippling effect of the use of racist mascots emboldens sports fans and rivals alike to participate in disrespectful behavior such as painting their faces, donning headdresses, engaging in the war cry, tomahawk chop, name-calling, and other racist speech to depict American Indians. 1 Kevin Gover, Director of the Smithsonian's Notional Museum of the American Indian and o citizen of the Pawnee Tribe of Oklahoma. 2 Dr. Scott Langston, College of Liberal Arts, Department of Religion Instructor, TCU.