OT - State files federal complaint against schools with Native American mascots

Submitted by Cold War on

A complaint filed Friday by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights is asking the federal government to step in and prohibit the use of American Indian mascots and imagery in K-12 schools across the state.

The department filed the complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. The complaint cites 35 Michigan K-12 school districts — including Clinton and Tecumseh — responsible for “alleged discrimination.”

The schools are known as the Clinton Redskins and the Tecumseh Indians.

The complaint says research now shows the use of those mascots and imagery causes “actual harm” to American Indian students by lowering self-esteem and impacting student achievement...

http://www.lenconnect.com/article/20130209/NEWS/130209430/-1/Editorials

Mod edit: I think most viewpoints were heard and there was a good debate on some topics, but we've hit a point of no return with the political line. JGB

Needs

February 11th, 2013 at 10:03 PM ^

To be fair, the OP of the Benedict thread explicitly stated that Popes had, for centuries, insured the world's rights, freedoms, and all that was good with the world. It was a post seemingly designed to piss off non-Catholics.

ChuckWood

February 11th, 2013 at 8:59 PM ^

I laughed when I read this.  But noo really, there is no pleasing everyone.  I would be proud if a team named themselves after me.  

What's next? PETA makes the Lions, Tigers, and Wolverines change their names?  And maybe even the Pistons because they have a horse on their uniforms.  Put a smile on your face and move on.

M Fanfare

February 11th, 2013 at 8:54 PM ^

The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian just had a symposium a few days ago called "Racist Stereotypes and Cultural Appropriation in American Sports" that contained this horribly offensive image that pretty well captures this issue. 

Wolverine Devotee

February 11th, 2013 at 8:54 PM ^

I agree but they will never change it unless people stop buying tickets and merch. 

Which isn't gonna happen. It's not like the Indians are a school and the gov't can cut off funding. They'd probably laugh in your face if you suggested them changing their name.

Once again, I do agree it's just as bad as the racial slurs used against blacks. 

MikeCohodes

February 11th, 2013 at 9:20 PM ^

In Pekin, IL, the official team name used to be the Chinks, I kid you not.  This was their logo:

They didn't let this team name stand past 1980 for obvious reasons (although it was the school team's names for 50 years).  The same way that the team name Redskins should go through a name change.  A slur is a slur, it shouldn't be a team name.

MaizeMN

February 11th, 2013 at 8:56 PM ^

3) People always bring up the "Fighting Irish" thing, as if the history with those two groups is even REMOTELY similar. My Irish ancestors faced some employment discrimination. My Native American ancestors faced some "move over here and/or die" discrimination. 

While I agree that there is a substantial difference in the magnitude of the discrimination, both Fighting Irish, Illini and Sioux imply a penchant  for conflict. If that designation is offensive, then the propossed ban should be applied unilaterally.

I live in a part of MN heavily populated with Mille Lacs Band Ojibwe and am Irish. The reference bothers neither myself or my numerous Native friends.

My friends in Jersey are very pissed about the local bowling team, the Fighting Pollacks though.

GoBlue_55

February 11th, 2013 at 8:58 PM ^

I am genuine in this response, so don't kill me over it. Is this really a big deal? Are people really offended when their hear the name of a mascot? I live in a county with several high schools that have Native American mascots. This has actually been up for vote amongst the local community a few times and a change has been voted down. I understand that it is a touchy subject. I, myself, am a minority, so don't go judging me based on this post, please.

GoBlue_55

February 11th, 2013 at 8:58 PM ^

I am genuine in this response, so don't kill me over it. Is this really a big deal? Are people really offended when their hear the name of a mascot? I live in a county with several high schools that have Native American mascots. This has actually been up for vote amongst the local community a few times and a change has been voted down. I understand that it is a touchy subject. I, myself, am a minority, so don't go judging me based on this post, please.

MichiganManOf1961

February 11th, 2013 at 9:15 PM ^

Don't express any dissenting opinions when the long-hairs are gathered!  Only they, the most wise amongst our fair people, may decide which statements are worthy of discussion.  Certainly not your horribly racist, ignorant, and (my favorite) close-minded Faux News-esque rant.

~Herm

Don

February 11th, 2013 at 9:12 PM ^

so I'm not going to bother doing it now, other than to say this:

We can expunge and eliminate every Native American mascot name of every sports team in America at every level of amateur and professional play, and we can dislocate our shoulders from patting ourselves on the back over doing it.

But let's not deceive ourselves. It won't do a single goddamn thing in any measurable way, shape, or form to alleviate the horrendous conditions that Native Americans all over the country face. It won't create jobs, it won't reduce family breakdown, it won't decrease alcoholism and substance abuse, it won't reduce violence against women, it won't remedy education problems, and it won't reduce the deep hopelessness that characterizes life for so many Native Americans.

Don

February 11th, 2013 at 9:43 PM ^

Uh, that's my point.

People routinely get outraged on both sides of this issue, but it's completely irrelevant to a 16-year old Navajo in Arizona who's facing chronic poverty, disease, substance abuse, and a lack of educational opportunities that a high school sports team in Michigan has gotten rid of its Native American mascot name. I've talked to plenty of people over the years about this issue, and a good percentage of those who are fervent opponents of the nicknames have the view that getting rid of them will somehow improve the lives of Native Americans.

I think it would make more sense to retain most (not all) of the names and institute educational programs at the high school level focusing on Native American history in local and national terms, so that non-Native Americans can learn something about the peoples who their teams are named after.

 

umich1

February 11th, 2013 at 9:20 PM ^

The State Department of Civil Rights may want to look up "Tecumseh" on Wikipedia... It's not just a town in Michigan! How could a city, named for an Indian, be offensive in naming their hometown school mascot for an Indian!??????

SanFrancisco_W…

February 11th, 2013 at 9:21 PM ^

I understand the touchiness of the subject. I have an honest question though, at what point does this come to an end? What about towns like Indian Hills, Ohio? Is that name off limits? Will towns be changing their names do to the insensitivity of those who named them? I'm genuinely curious.

howmuch

February 11th, 2013 at 9:25 PM ^

Do high school teams named Spartans or Trojans offend Greeks?

Are Scots offended by teams named Highlanders?

Where is the outrage by the French because of teams named Corsairs?

WolvinLA2

February 11th, 2013 at 9:33 PM ^

Well, Greeks probably aren't offended by Trojans since Troy wasn't actually a part of Greece, and is in present day Turkey (unlike Sparta which is a part of Greece).  I have a friend named Leonidas who told me this, no joke. His family is from Sparta. 

He said he hated his name until 300 came out and then it became the coolest thing ever.

MikeCohodes

February 11th, 2013 at 9:35 PM ^

It's one thing to use a name like Warriors or what have you.  It is another when you use a derogatory term like Redskins.  I'm sure your Greeks would be offended if their team name used a racial slur for Greeks.  Since I don't know one for Greeks, I'll switch to their neighbors the Italians.  If a school was called the Wops or Dagos, that wouldn't be cool.

M-Wolverine

February 11th, 2013 at 9:41 PM ^

That MSU calls itself the Spartans.

No one else though.

My Indian side only sees a legit beef with Redskins and logos like the Cleveland Indians.

Being 1/32nd Cowboy though Dallas really pisses me off.

MichiganManOf1961

February 11th, 2013 at 9:29 PM ^

Oh, please.  I constantly see young Native Americans using this type of slang with eachother and it pervades their "music" and television shows.  Constantly, "Yo, Redskin..." or "What is up my Redskin?"  If they're going to use that type of language amongst eachother, I don't see how they can complain when others use it.

~Herm

MGoKalamazoo

February 11th, 2013 at 9:45 PM ^

Didn't this happen back in 2002? I went to high school at Harper Creek and our rivals were the Marshall Redskins. I came back to watch the HC-M football game during my sophomore year in college and found out they changed their names to the Redhawks. I could have sworn this was because of a court ruling.

ballertim87

February 11th, 2013 at 9:50 PM ^

Even though I'm Polish and German, I'm going to organize a complaint on behalf of the Irish and those of Irish decent against the Notre Dame fighting Irish because of the actual harm that I believe they undergo.

Though I'm not a farmer, I'm going to act on behalf of corn farmers who get made fun of because of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

...

But seriously, for the life of me I cannot understand why Redskins is still allowed anywhere , especially in the NFL, but if the "offensiveness" or "actual harm" caused by using the nicknames Indians, Hurons, Sioux, Chippewas, Illini, etc are REAL, then those who are being harmed should be the ones to initiate the appropriate legal action (if that is the case, here, that the state (the Civil Rights committee or w/e) was ASKED to act on their behalf, then that is fine...but if not, then this is just getting rediculous).