Native American mascot laws and regulations
[2] The documents most often cited to justifying the trend for change are an advisory opinion by the United States Commission on Civil Rights in 2001[3] and a resolution by the American Psychological Association in 2005.Rex P. Shipp, the state representative for Cedar City, Utah, introduced in 2020 a joint resolution supporting "the appropriate use of names, images, and symbols of Native Americans and other indigenous people by schools or places" and discouraging "removing names, images, and symbols of Native Americans and other indigenous people from schools or places".[8] A Native American legislator proposed a bill in 2018 that would have ban the use of a sports team name or logo at a publicly funded stadium if any Arizona tribe found it to be disparaging.[9] The legislature has passed a bill expanding the existing law prohibiting the use of Redskin by schools to apply to any “derogatory Native American term" including but is not limited to, Apaches, Big Reds, Braves, Chiefs, Chieftains, Chippewa, Comanches, Indians, Savages, Squaw, and Tribe.[23] As of the January 2017 deadline, the four schools had complied with the letter of the law but not the spirit, retaining their Native American imagery and behavior, including a female student portraying an Indian Princess in a floor length war bonnet and fans whopping and tomahawk chopping at games.Joely Proudfit, chair of the American Indian Studies Department at California State University in San Marcos and member of the Luiseño/Payomkowishum tribe: "There's no redeeming quality of the word 'Redskin' but to try to soften the blow by using 'Tribe' or 'Indian' or 'Warrior' is nonsensical.[28] Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper created by executive order a commission that held meetings where local community members, state agencies and Native Americans can seek to find common ground on the mascot issue.[30][31] In 2021 a bill was passed to ban Native mascots statewide, allowing continued use only for schools that had an agreement with a recognized tribe prior to June 1, 2021.A member of the governor's commission, Darius Smith (Navajo), says that NAGA does not have credibility or represent the way many American Indians feel about the issue.[35] The Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz announced the consideration of legislation to ban all Native American nicknames and logos in Connecticut.[46] In November 2022 the state Board of Education recommended the elimination of Native mascots within five years unless approval is given by a local Federally recognized tribe.[47] The Maine Education Department issued a notice in 2019 urging schools to refrain from using mascots and logos depicting Native Americans.[51] Concurrent with local efforts, a bill to ban Native mascots statewide passed the Maine House of Representatives and Senate[52] and was signed into law by Governor Janet Mills in May, 2019.[53] The community of Salem Township is supportive of the change of the Strong Elementary School "Indians", the principal stating that half the students were not aware of the mascot name.[54] The 2023 legislature is considering identical bills in the House (H.477) and Senate (S.245), prohibiting the use of Native American mascots by schools but allowing any recognized tribe within the commonwealth to grant permission to use their particular tribal name.[67] In March, 2017 the State Superintendent requested an opinion from the Michigan Attorney General whether he had the authority to fine school districts that failed to remove Native American mascots and logos that advocates argue are degrading and culturally insensitive.[75] The Legislature's State-Tribal Relations Committee considered in 2019 what action to take regarding Native American mascots in Nebraska, including a possible statewide requirement to eliminate them.[83] Massapequa school district on Long Island has filed a lawsuit against the New York State Board of Regents, accusing the agency of violating its first amendment rights by banning the use of its Native American mascot, the Chief.[85] In December, 2023 the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division unanimously dismissed the Cambridge Central School District appeal as "moot.[87] In response to the 2001 NYSED letter, the Seneca Nation Tribal Council joined with other members of the community in seeking to retain the Salamanca Central High School "Warriors" imagery, although with individual differences of opinion.[93] However, Native American response was not unanimous; out of nine Federally recognized tribes in the state, two voiced opposition to the statewide ban on the basis of tribal sovereignty.[94] In 2014 a state law was passed allowing schools to consult with nearby Native American tribes on acceptable names and imagery.[98] In May 2015 the Board of Education unanimously voted down an amendment that would have allowed schools to retain their current names and mascots, maintaining the 2017 deadline for change.[111] The agreement with Banks High School includes replacement of the old logo featuring a Native American in profile with one using inverse Bs in the shape of an arrowhead, which was designed with assistance from Nike marketing and graphics employees.[137] "The moral cost to our reputation as a diverse district -- where we care about the sensitivities of every single individual -- would be incalculable if we were not to do this," HISD superintendent Terry Grier said.Lekanoff is motivated by the change in the name of the Washington Football Team in 2020, which indicates a willingness of the general public to address issues regarding the use of Native mascots.[151] In 2010 a law was passed in Wisconsin to eliminate race-based nicknames, logos and mascots in schools; but allowing retention if they have the permission of local Native American tribes.[159][160] Prompted by the concerns of Native Americans, the Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin has implemented a policy banning student clothing having "words, pictures, or caricatures based on negative stereotypes of a specific gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation or disability", which would ban all sports apparel displaying Native American mascot names, images or logos.The letter requests a dialog to "learn about contemporary Tribal Nations and Native peoples and why these mascots degrade us, misrepresent who we are and dismiss the many important contributions we have made, and continue to make, to this country.