Despite Bans, No SC Talk of Ending Native American Mascots

Schools in Oregon won't be allowed to use Native American mascots anymore, according to a rule passed by the State Board of Education Thursday.

But don't expect fallout to reach South Carolina.

Native American mascots have not sparked a strong public reaction, Dennis Thompson, chairman for the S.C. State Board of Education, told Patch last week.

"I haven't heard anything positive or negative — not in South Carolina," Thompson said.

Even if there was a big debate about Native American mascots in South Carolina, Thompson said it's not an issue on which the State Board of Education would vote. The board mainly deals with educational policies, he said. 

Several South Carolina schools still have Native American mascots, including Gilbert High School in Lexington County (Indians), North Myrtle Beach High School (Chiefs), and Riverside High School in Greer (Warriors).

More than 600 U.S. high schools and colleges have dropped their Native American mascots in the past 40 years, according to a report on Fox News.

Although many South Carolina schools have stuck with Native American names, some have altered their logos. 

Gilbert High School's logo used to feature an image of a Native American's head, said Principal Ann O'Cain.

But the school changed the logo to the letter "G" inside a circle with two feathers attached. 

"The complaint we have had is about the portrayal of the Indian because they wanted it to be friendly-looking and not mean-looking," O'Cain said. 

"We try to portray Indians in a positive way. We talk about Indian pride and the Indian spirit." 

But the logo with an image of a Native American's head isn't completely gone, O'Cain said. It's still at the top of the school's website and on the marquee at the school.

Debate about the issue increased between 2005 and 2010 when the NCAA put pressure on colleges — including Newberry College's Indians — to drop Native American nicknames, mascots and imagery. 

O'Cain said she heard more from the community about Gilbert's mascot during that time, but still only about five people complained.

The issue hasn't come up again in recent years, O'Cain said. And she plans to stick by the school's tradition.

"It's part of our history," she said. "I'm not going to change the mascot unless I'm made to change it."