Tribe will look for other ways to ban offensive mascots
02/16/2006 02:56:02 PM
Posted: Thursday, February 16, 2006
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- The Winnebago Tribe will consider other options in its efforts to ban American Indian-themed mascots from Nebraska high schools, after the Nebraska School Activities Association said it cannot force the schools to remove mascots.
Fred Williams, superintendent for the Winnebago Public Schools, said Thursday he was not disappointed by the NSAA's decision because there are other options.
Williams said 36 to 38 Nebraska high schools use mascots that are degrading to American Indians, and the Winnebago tribe wants them banned.
So the tribe started with the NSAA, which met on Wednesday to discuss the issue.
Its decision: "The board has no authority to tell a school that they have to take mascots off their uniforms, their gym floors or off the walls of their schools," said Jim Tenopir, executive director for the NSAA.
The other two options, Williams said, would be to present the issue to the state Board of Education or seek action from the state Legislature.
A representative for the Board of Education representative said Thursday that it would welcome the presentation of the issue but needs to research further to understand the legal boundaries of the board.
The tribe hopes state decision-makers will see that the mascots are offensive.
"My personal feeling is, if the mascot is anything that would be degrading to a population, then I don't think it should be used," Williams said.
For example, schools that use the word "Indians" could be changed to a name such as "Eagles," he said.
Winnebago's own mascot is the Indians, and Williams said the school should be prepared to be included in the ban, even though it is about 98 percent American Indian.
"There are still some Caucasians," he said.
The tribe has been discussing the ban request for more than a year.
At the college level, the National Collegiate Athletic Association decreed last August that member colleges would not be allowed to use American Indian nicknames or mascots in NCAA tournaments.
It further ruled that any college retaining the name by the beginning of February could not display the image at any postseason tournament and would be barred from hosting postseason competition.
Three schools -- the Florida State Seminoles, Central Michigan Chippewas and Utah Utes -- were allowed to keep their names and imagery because of support from local American Indian tribes.
Indian mascots have also been an issue at high schools across the nation. In Wisconsin, for example, the state schools superintendent sent letters to 39 Wisconsin school districts asking them to drop American Indian names, mascots and logos.
The Winnebago school board will meet Friday to discuss further options, and a member of the tribal council will be present, Williams said.
AP-CS-02-16-06 1422EST
Fred Williams, superintendent for the Winnebago Public Schools, said Thursday he was not disappointed by the NSAA's decision because there are other options.
Williams said 36 to 38 Nebraska high schools use mascots that are degrading to American Indians, and the Winnebago tribe wants them banned.
So the tribe started with the NSAA, which met on Wednesday to discuss the issue.
Its decision: "The board has no authority to tell a school that they have to take mascots off their uniforms, their gym floors or off the walls of their schools," said Jim Tenopir, executive director for the NSAA.
The other two options, Williams said, would be to present the issue to the state Board of Education or seek action from the state Legislature.
A representative for the Board of Education representative said Thursday that it would welcome the presentation of the issue but needs to research further to understand the legal boundaries of the board.
The tribe hopes state decision-makers will see that the mascots are offensive.
"My personal feeling is, if the mascot is anything that would be degrading to a population, then I don't think it should be used," Williams said.
For example, schools that use the word "Indians" could be changed to a name such as "Eagles," he said.
Winnebago's own mascot is the Indians, and Williams said the school should be prepared to be included in the ban, even though it is about 98 percent American Indian.
"There are still some Caucasians," he said.
The tribe has been discussing the ban request for more than a year.
At the college level, the National Collegiate Athletic Association decreed last August that member colleges would not be allowed to use American Indian nicknames or mascots in NCAA tournaments.
It further ruled that any college retaining the name by the beginning of February could not display the image at any postseason tournament and would be barred from hosting postseason competition.
Three schools -- the Florida State Seminoles, Central Michigan Chippewas and Utah Utes -- were allowed to keep their names and imagery because of support from local American Indian tribes.
Indian mascots have also been an issue at high schools across the nation. In Wisconsin, for example, the state schools superintendent sent letters to 39 Wisconsin school districts asking them to drop American Indian names, mascots and logos.
The Winnebago school board will meet Friday to discuss further options, and a member of the tribal council will be present, Williams said.
AP-CS-02-16-06 1422EST
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