Columbus Day Dropped at Niles North, Niles West

SKOKIE, IL - Less than two decades after being known as the “Indians,” one north suburban high school will now celebrate Indigenous People’s Day instead of Columbus Day in October. Niles Township High School District 219 will replace Columbus Day with “Indigenous People’s Day” next year. The school board voted unanimously this week to adopt the change and drop Columbus Day from the school calendar, according to a report from the Skokie Review.

"We heard from students and they were voicing their support for this type of change," said Steven Isoye, superintendent of District 219. “Both campuses have provided you with letters of support from their students governments."

Related: Columbus Day Dumped for Indigenous Peoples Day in Evanston

Anne Roloff, the district’s assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, said the change was made to complement the diverse student body at both Niles North and Niles West high schools.

"We feel that celebrating ID day, who are the people who lived here prior to Columbus, is a much better and much more appropriate celebration of our communities," she said.

The school nickname for Niles West was “Indians” until it changed to “Wolves” in 2000 because of the offensive connection to indigenous populations.

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