PA Public School Indian Mascots, Logos Face Potential Ban

HARRISBURG, PA — Dozens of Pennsylvania public schools would have to change their mascots and logos if a bill about to be introduced in the state House becomes law.

State Rep. Christopher Rabb of Philadelphia plans to unveil legislation that would prohibit using Native American imagery for such purposes. Rabb contends that decades of research has shown that derogatory mascots have a serious negative psychological and social impact on people with indigenous heritages.

"For far too long, indigenous peoples have faced discrimination, disrespect, and violence. Our commonwealth must not remain complicit in the perpetuation of derogatory, bigoted, and harmful practices which encourage bullying and other forms of abuse," Rabb wrote in a recent memo to colleagues.

"Eliminating the use of offensive stereotypes for school mascots is the least we can do to begin mending the damage done by the appalling historical oppression of these groups."

Rabb noted that several states have banned or limited their use for public school mascots, including Maine, Washington, Colorado, and Nevada.

Several professional sports teams are taking similar steps. The Washington Redskins last year became the Washington Football Team while the franchise decides on a new nickname. The Cleveland Indians nickname is being retired and the baseball team will be known as the Guardians in 2022.

A study last year by the Pennsylvania Youth Congress found that in the 2019-2o school year, 66 public schools with 55,162 students in Pennsylvania had Native American mascots. Those schools graduated 12,581 students, or 11 percent, of the 114,259 students from 596 high schools across the state.

The following schools had objectionable names or imagery as of last year, according to the study:

• Aliquippa Junior Senior High School Indians

• Bellefonte Area High School Red Raiders

• Blue Ridge High School Red Raiders

• Bristol High School Warriors

• Brookville Junior Senior High School Raiders

• Cameron County Junior Senior High School Raiders

• Canton Junior Senior High School Warriors

• Waynesburg Central High School Raiders

• Coatesville Area Senior High School Red Raiders

• Conemaugh Twp Area Middle School/Senior High School Indians

• Council Rock High School North Indians

• Donegal High School Indians

• Eastern Lebanon Co Senior High School Raiders

• Elizabeth Forward Senior High School Warriors

• Elk Lake Junior Senior High School Warriors

• East Middle School Warriors

• Everett Area High School Warriors

• West Forest Junior Senior High School Indians

• Gettysburg Area High School Warriors

• Indiana Area Senior High School Little Indians

• Iroquois Junior Senior High School Braves

• Juniata Senior High School Indians

• Lakeland Junior Senior High School Chiefs

• Lehighton Area High School Indians

• Methacton High School Warriors

• Meyersdale Area High School Red Raiders

• Millersburg Area Senior High School Indians

• Mohawk Junior Senior High School Warriors

• Moniteau Junior Senior High School Warriors

• Montgomery Junior Senior High School Red Raiders

• Montoursville Area Senior High School Warriors

• Muncy Junior Senior High School Indians

• Neshaminy High School Redskins

• North Hills Senior High School Indians

• Cowanesque Valley Junior Senior High School Indians

• Williamson Senior High School Warriors

• Octorara Area Junior Senior High School Braves

• Penn Hills Senior High School Indians

• Penn Trafford High School Warriors

• Pequea Valley High School Braves

• Peters Twp High School Indians

• Bartram John – Main Braves

• Roxborough High School Indians

• Pittsburgh Carrick High School Raiders

• Radnor Senior High School Raiders

• Ridley High School Raiders

• Sayre Area High School Redskins

• Seneca Valley High School Raiders

• Shamokin Area High School Indians

• Shikellamy High School Braves

• Souderton Area Senior High School Indians

• Indiana Area Senior High School Indians

• Susquehannock High School Warriors

• Susquehanna Twp High School Indians

• Twin Valley High School Raiders

• Uniontown Area Senior High School Raiders

• Unionville High School Indians

• Upper Perkiomen High School Indians

• Warwick Senior High School Warriors

• Waynesboro Area Senior High School Indians

• West Allegheny Senior High School Indians

• West Branch Area Junior Senior High School Warriors

• West Chester Henderson High School Warriors

• West Middlesex Area Junior Senior High School Big Reds

• Wilson Area High School Warriors

• Wyoming Area Secondary Center Warriors

Since the study, the Seneca Valley School District in western Pennsylvania decided to replace its Native American logo.

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