Bill To Ban Native American Mascots, Imagery In Schools Discussed

A bill aiming to ban Native American imagery and themes from high school mascots and logos was discussed among the Joint Committee on Education meeting Tuesday. Linda Thomas, one of two Tewksbury residents who petitioned Sen. Barbara L'Italien to file legislation that would impose the ban, said she grew concerned the town's "Redmen" mascot would teach her children that "stereotypes and caricatures were OK."

Jason Packineau, who works at the Harvard University Native American Program, discussed what he described as the impact of such mascots on his own life, saying strangers call him "chief" or "savage," or ask to touch his long hair, which he wore in braids Tuesday. "Native people want to control their identity," he said.

While supporters of the bill (S 291) said the portrayal of Native Americans as mascots can be harmful and disrespectful to the people they are intended to represent, opponents of the ban said the mascots honor historical relationships with Native American tribes and have become sources of town pride over the years.

"The town has an affinity and a great relationship with this name," said Rep. Jim Miceli, who represents Tewksbury, citing a well-known statue in the town "of an Indian brave overlooking the community," and the recent opening of a bowling alley and recreation complex named after the Wamesit village.

Potentially affected schools may include: Agawam Brownies; Algonquin Tomahawks; Amesbury Indians; Assabet Valley Aztecs; Andover Golden Warriors; Athol Red Raiders; Barnstable Red Raiders; Billerica Indians; Blue Hills Warriors; Braintree Wamps; Bristol County Agricultural Chieftains; Coyle & Cassidy Warriors; Dartmouth Indians; Foxborough Warriors; Grafton Indians; Hanover Indians; King Philip Warriors; Lincoln-Sudbury Warriors; Lowell Red Raiders; Masconomet Chieftains; Melrose Red Raiders; Middleborough Sachems; Millis Mohawks; Nashoba Chieftains; North Quincy Red Raiders; Pentucket Sachems; Saugus Sachems; Seekonk Warriors; Tewksbury Redmen; Wakefield Warriors; Wayland Warriors; and Winchester Sachems.

While the "Warriors" name isn't specified in the bill, it often comes with Native American imagery and logos.

L’Italien is a Democrat who represents Second Essex and Middlesex, consisting of Lawrence, Andover and Dracut. She filed Bill SD.1119.

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Thomas said roughly 40 schools have what she says are derogatory mascots, logos or team names.

Last year a push to change the Redmen name in Tewksbury was rejected in a school committee vote.

"That's a lot of children who will be taught in Massachusetts public schools that this type of language and imagery is acceptable," Thomas told Patch previously. "It is not."

Opponents of a potential ban say the team names are part of a rich school history and that some pay tribute to towns' Native American roots.

"We're really a tight-knit community and we take a lot of pride in our community name," Tewksbury resident Bob Payne told the Sentinel & Enterprise when the school committee voted against a change.

A statement by the National Congress of American Indians condemns the use of "harmful" stereotypes.

"Specifically, rather than honoring Native peoples, these caricatures and stereotypes are harmful, perpetuate negative stereotypes of America’s first peoples, and contribute to a disregard for the personhood of Native peoples," the NCAI said.

There has been some change in recent years. Natick High School swapped "Redmen" in favor of "Red and Blue" in 2008. Just this month, a committee voted to drop "Indians" as Turner Falls High School's mascot.

"In my opinion, there is no way to retain the name 'Indians' that would not continue to present a civil rights problem, a pedagogical mixed message and a misalignment with our mission and core values," Turner Falls Superintendent Michael Sullivan said in a statement.

Katie Lannan, State House News Service, contributed to this report

Photo by Keith Allison via Flickr