With one of nation's strictest rules, State Board of Education bans Native American mascots

Oregonlive ^ | Thursday, May 17, 2012, 6:36 PM | Ryan Kost

[MovementConservative]

Under a new rule that may be the toughest in the nation, at least 15 Oregon schools must get rid of their Native American-themed mascots by 2017 or risk losing state funding.

The State Board of Education passed the new policy in a 5-1 vote Thursday afternoon.

"I'm overwhelmed, but I'm holding back on my emotions -- I have a meeting to finish," said board Chairwoman Brenda Frank, a member of the Klamath Tribes. "It's been a long time coming."

The decision, in the works for six years, requires schools to eliminate names like "Indians," "Chiefs" and "Braves." "Warriors" may stay, but the logos may not reference tribal customs or traditions.

Supporters of mascot bans have long held that the names are racist and encourage students to develop stereotypes. Opponents say a ban will destroy traditions and waste money on purging the mascots from schools in times of tight budgets.

Nationally, there have been various pushes to do away with using race-based mascots for decades. The debate in Oregon schools picked up in earnest in 2006, when Che Butler, a former Taft High School student, brought the issue before the state board.

Butler told The Oregonian at the time that he decided to go to the board after his school played the Molalla High Indians. During the game he saw a student dressed in buckskin and fake feathers performing stereotypical Native American dance moves.

[MovementConservative]

Perhaps all the schools should change their mascot to the Fighting Whites.

[mojito]

Maybe a forward thinking school will change their mascot to the Crusading Bureaucrats.

What an inspiration that would be in these pc-adled times.

[TigerClaws]

Warriors applies to more than Indians.

Isn’t it a sign of respect? Braves = fierce fighter.

Will whites protest Notre Dame for using “Irish”?

[boomop1]

They are just hurting the Injuns who make money on sales of shirts and stuff, PC morons.

[TomGuy]

Replacement names under consideration include:

The Lillies
The Petunias
The Gingersnaps
The Wusses
The Politically Correct

[Sacajaweau]

All these names, indian heritage, recognition of sites etc came about when THE WHITE MAN decided that if we didn't do something to preserve their heritage, it would go away.

I think it was Teddy who said: "If it wasn't for us, they would have killed themselves and they would no longer exist".

[FlingWingFlyer]

Supporters of mascot bans have long held that the names are racist and encourage students to develop stereotypes.

What would America do without outraged and easily offended, rich, white college kids? OTOH, these names should be reserved for use only by the U.S. attack helicopters and other military fighting machines. IMHO. LOL!

[Dilbert San Diego]

Political Correctness overrides everything in this world of ours.

Yes, Notre Dame Fighting Irish should be offensive using the criteria used by those fighting Indian nicknames. So should Boston Celtics, Minnesota Vikings, and San Diego Padres, among others. But since these nicknames are not considered demeaning to officially aggrieved politically correct groups of people, nobody ever criticizes these nicknames.

Heck go further down the list:

Dallas Cowboys is offensive to real cowboys.
Green Bay Packers is offensive to real meat packers.
Pittsburgh Steelers is offensive to steel workers.
San Diego Padres is offensive to priests.
Milwaukee Brewers is offensive to real brewers.

I’m sure there are other examples. Where do we draw the line?

What about all of the animal nicknames? Are they offensive to animals? Will PETA weigh in on those? Certainly it’s not an honor to Eagles to see the Philadelphia Eagles play is it?????

[Tzimisce]

When we said “Free Speech”, we didn’t mean for you!

Now go pay your taxes, we need raises. :)

(What if the Mascot is 1/32 Indian?)

[muir_redwoods]

The Scottish clan I’m related to had a chief. How did the Indians claim the word “chief”.

[Starstruck]

At least the “Elizabeth Warren’s” is now safe to use.

[Born to Conserve]

In Philadelphia, the main road along the Delaware River is Delaware Avenue. About 20 years ago they renamed a stretch of it “Columbus Boulevard”, inciting all the “delaware injuns” to complain that they were taking the name away from them and giving it to the evil European explorer. I guess the delaware injuns don’t know that Thomas West, 3rd and 12th Baron “De La Warr” was their European conqueror. I always get a laugh out of this.

[blueunicorn6]

Ahhhhh....it’s Oregon.....The Beavers......

[Jack Hammer]

Oregon.

Nuff said.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

What a bunch of crap.

These are compliments toward the admiration of the American Indians. There is nothing negative about this.

Stupid is what stupid does. If that is the case, name changes should be made for lack appreciation.

[Reeses]

race-based mascots

[ThomasThomas]

I would assume the law would exclude the Chemawa Indian School home of the “Braves”

http://www.chemawa.bie.edu/athletics.htm

[mrsmel]

I can’t wait to see what new “grievances” the poor oppressed victims groups will come up with next, when this is the level of “grievance” they’re at now.

[liberalh8ter]

How about a hoodie-wearing thug as a mascot? It might intimidate the opposing team.....unless that team is Hispanic. In that case, each time the Hispanic team tackles a member of the thug team, the ref will call foul, impose a penalty and the announcer will declare the tackler was white.

As for a white opposing team, each time they are in possession of the ball, the entire thug team will descend on the handler, beat him to the ground, kick him and knock him out while the ref looks the other way.

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

I propose for every skydiver that says “Geronimo” they be given a $450 fine and mandated to take 3 weeks of ethnic sensitivety training. Also I propose that all Tomahawk missles be callde Tony Hawk missles and Massachussets be called “Land of liberal a-holes who keep voting for the same Kennedy/Kerry/Frank mutants”.