““Indian” Mascots Indian” Mascots and Logosand Logos

Institutional Racism in Public Institutional Racism in Public SchoolsSchools

Wisconsin Indian Education Association“Indian” Mascot and Logo Task Force

www.indianmascots.com

Barbara E. Munson Christine Munson Barb@Munson.net crmunson@prodigy.net

What do all of these schools What do all of these schools have in common?have in common?

Berlin IndiansBerlin Indians Cornell ChiefsCornell Chiefs Lake Holcombe Lake Holcombe

ChieftainsChieftains Menomonie* Menomonie*

IndiansIndians Mishicot IndiansMishicot Indians Mosinee IndiansMosinee Indians

Mukwonago Mukwonago IndiansIndians

Riverdale Riverdale ChieftainsChieftains

Shiocton ChiefsShiocton Chiefs Wonewoc-Center Wonewoc-Center

IndiansIndians Viroqua Viroqua

BlackhawksBlackhawks*Menomonie in Dunn County, WI, not to be confused with the Menominee Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin.

They all use the same clip-They all use the same clip-art for their logo!art for their logo!

Is that a stereotype, or what!?Is that a stereotype, or what!?

More stereotypes of Indian More stereotypes of Indian people in our schools…people in our schools…

Auburndale ‘Apaches’

Belmont ‘Braves’ Black Hawk

‘Warriors’ Big Foot Union

‘Chiefs’ Bruce ‘Red Raiders’ Gale-Ettrick-

Trempeleau ‘Redmen’

More stereotypes of Indian More stereotypes of Indian people in our schools…people in our schools…

Fort Atkinson ‘Blackhawks’

Greenwood ‘Indians’ Kewauskum ‘Indians’ Kewaunee ‘Indians’ Lancaster ‘Flying

Arrows’ Menomonee Falls

‘Indians’ Osseo-Fairchild

‘Chieftains’

More stereotypes of Indian More stereotypes of Indian people in our schools…people in our schools…

Ozaukee ‘Warriors’ Osceola

‘Chieftains’ Potosi ‘Chieftains’ Poynette ‘Indians’ Prarie du Chien

‘Blackhawks’ Rib Lake ‘Redmen’ Stockbridge

‘Indians’ Seneca ‘Indians’

More stereotypes of Indian More stereotypes of Indian people in our schools…people in our schools…

Tomahawk ‘Hatchets’ Tomah ‘Indians’ Waunakee ‘Warriors’ Wauwatosa East ‘Red

Raiders’ Weyauwega-Fremont

‘Indians’ Winter ‘Warriors’ Wisconsin Dells

‘Chiefs’ Wisconsin Rapids

‘Red Raiders’

TEACH RESPECT – NOT

RACISM

The Task ForceThe Task Force Created in 1997 at Wisconsin Indian Created in 1997 at Wisconsin Indian

Education Association ConventionEducation Association Convention Indian educators forced out of home Indian educators forced out of home

communitiescommunities Committed until all schools eliminate Committed until all schools eliminate

their “Indian” mascot, logo, and/or their “Indian” mascot, logo, and/or nicknamenickname

Consists of Indian educators and alliesConsists of Indian educators and allies

How We Do ItHow We Do ItFirst stirrings of advocacyFirst stirrings of advocacy

How We Do ItHow We Do It AdvocacyAdvocacy EducationEducation LegislationLegislation SupportSupport LitigationLitigation Coalition Coalition

BuildingBuilding

AdvocacyAdvocacy Newspaper AdvertisementsNewspaper Advertisements HONOR Handbook for AdvocacyHONOR Handbook for Advocacy T-Shirts, Buttons, Bumper Stickers, T-Shirts, Buttons, Bumper Stickers,

and Postersand Posters Youth Task Force Public Service Youth Task Force Public Service

AnnouncementAnnouncement Letters to the EditorLetters to the Editor

Mon, Mar 21, 2005

State should address Indian issue

I 'm writing to comment on the Daily Herald's March 16 editorial, in which the newspaper said the state Legislature shouldn't follow the Great Lakes Tribal Council's advice and ban the use of Indian names and logos by schools. I personally have experienced this issue. I grew up and attended school in Mosinee, where I experienced racism, discrimination, inequity, and hostility. I was called a "stupid Indian." In the halls I heard "Kill the Indians." In art class, a student wanted to print a shirt with the phrase "Kill a Pregnant Squaw, Save Two Walleye." Mosinee had an Indian logo and nickname. As an American Indian student, I did not feel honored and I was not proud of Mosinee's logo or nickname. I saw hypocrisy at my school. At one moment, students were talking about protesting the spear fishing at the Big Eau Pleine Reservoir boat landing -Êthe same boat landing where the National Guard was called in to address the extreme violence, which included the use of guns, that protesters took against families supporting the spearers. At another moment, my peers were chanting in a pep rally, "We are the Indians, the mighty, mighty Indians!" I did not participate. Rather, I thought about the hatred I experienced and the hypocrisy I saw, and I took a stand against it. As a senior, I wrote a letter to my principal and told him the comments I heard and that I personally found the "Indian" name used by Mosinee to be offensive. I told him that social justice, respect, and equality (all words painted on the gymnasium wall) were not being upheld in Mosinee High School. I spoke at school board meetings. I helped with in-service trainings for school board members. I worked with students who saw the same things I did and we wrote letters to the editor. I went to classrooms around the state and talked about the Indian mascot and logo issue. I and many others, Native and non-Native, actively have worked on what the Daily Herald suggested in its editorial - speaking to individual schools, students and communities; explaining why names like Mosinee Indians, Auburndale Apaches, and Wisconsin Rapids Red Raiders are offensive; and questioning why schools are not named Central High Caucasians, Mosinee Polacks, Auburndale Dagos, or the Wisconsin Rapids Kikes. Were we effective? Yes and no. Some schools have retired their Indian mascot, nickname and logo. However, 38 schools with Indian references remain. That means there are 38 communities in Wisconsin actively teaching racial stereotyping and that have failed to listen to American Indian groups, religious leaders, and civil rights organizations that oppose these practices. There are 38 communities not adequately teaching young people how to respectfully interact with people from other cultures. The issue of schools using Indian mascots, logos, and nicknames has been in the news since the 1960s. Forty-five years have passed. I f communities have not yet voluntarily retired their stereotypic images of American Indian people, perhaps it is time for the state Legislature to get involved. Christine Munson of Stevens Point is a member of the Oneida Nation.

Youth Task Force PSAYouth Task Force PSA

EducationEducation Frame Debate as Education Policy IssueFrame Debate as Education Policy Issue Common Themes and Questions About Common Themes and Questions About

the Use of “Indian” Logosthe Use of “Indian” Logos, Barbara E. , Barbara E. MunsonMunson

Classroom Presentations and In-servicesClassroom Presentations and In-services Conference WorkshopsConference Workshops Task Force TrainingsTask Force Trainings NCCJ Presents: KICKNCCJ Presents: KICK Resource MaterialsResource Materials

LegislationLegislation Introduced Five Times at State LevelIntroduced Five Times at State Level Joint ResolutionsJoint Resolutions Written and Oral Testimony at Written and Oral Testimony at

HearingsHearings

SupportSupport ConsultationConsultation Community BuildingCommunity Building Create a Presence as Requested by Create a Presence as Requested by

Local AdvocatesLocal Advocates Build Relationships with School Build Relationships with School

Districts Undergoing ChangeDistricts Undergoing Change

LitigationLitigation Hand vs. Milton School DistrictHand vs. Milton School District Munson vs. Mosinee School DistrictMunson vs. Mosinee School District Pfaller vs. Mukwonago School DistrictPfaller vs. Mukwonago School District Wycliffe vs. Medford School DistrictWycliffe vs. Medford School District Affirmative Action Complaints in Affirmative Action Complaints in

Viroqua Area School DistrictViroqua Area School District Pending Litigation in Osseo-Fairchild Pending Litigation in Osseo-Fairchild

School DistrictSchool District

Coalition BuildingCoalition Building National Indian Education AssociationNational Indian Education Association National Education AssociationNational Education Association National Conference for Community and National Conference for Community and

JusticeJustice HONORHONOR Midwest Treaty NetworkMidwest Treaty Network State and Tribal Task ForcesState and Tribal Task Forces Wisconsin State Human Relations Wisconsin State Human Relations

AssociationAssociation Wisconsin Education Association CouncilWisconsin Education Association Council

Resolutions of SupportResolutions of Support American Indian Sports Team MascoAmerican Indian Sports Team Masco

tsts, Robert Eurich, Robert Eurich

Need for AlliesNeed for Allies Continued need for awareness and Continued need for awareness and

educationeducation American Indian comprise less than American Indian comprise less than

1% of US population1% of US population Stereotyping impacts everybodyStereotyping impacts everybody

From Pen to SwordFrom Pen to SwordUnited States Commission for Civil United States Commission for Civil

RightsRights

““The stereotyping of any racial, ethnic, The stereotyping of any racial, ethnic, religious or other groups when promoted religious or other groups when promoted by our public educational institutions, by our public educational institutions, teach all students that stereotyping of teach all students that stereotyping of minority groups is acceptable, a minority groups is acceptable, a dangerous lesson in a diverse society.”dangerous lesson in a diverse society.”

From Pen to SwordFrom Pen to SwordUnited States Commission for Civil United States Commission for Civil

RightsRights

““The elimination of stereotypes will The elimination of stereotypes will make room for education about make room for education about

real Indian people, current Native real Indian people, current Native American issues, and the rich American issues, and the rich

variety of American Indians in our variety of American Indians in our country.”country.”

From Pen to SwordFrom Pen to SwordRESEARCH ABSTRACTRESEARCH ABSTRACT

Stephanie Fryberg, Ph.D (Tuyalip)Stephanie Fryberg, Ph.D (Tuyalip)Social Psychology | Stanford UniversitySocial Psychology | Stanford University

December, 2002December, 2002

Study 5 - European American students were Study 5 - European American students were explicitly primed with social representations of explicitly primed with social representations of American Indians (i.e., Pocahontas, Chief Wahoo American Indians (i.e., Pocahontas, Chief Wahoo or Negative Stereotypes). They reported or Negative Stereotypes). They reported heightened self-esteem when compared to heightened self-esteem when compared to European Americans in the no-prime control European Americans in the no-prime control condition. This boost in self-esteem for European condition. This boost in self-esteem for European Americans suggests that the dominant social Americans suggests that the dominant social representations of minority groups have significant representations of minority groups have significant implications for the psychological functioning of implications for the psychological functioning of both minority and majority group members. both minority and majority group members.

Discussion and FeedbackDiscussion and Feedback How can the information from the How can the information from the

publications be utilized in your local publications be utilized in your local community to raise the level of community to raise the level of understanding about this issue?understanding about this issue?

TEACH RESPECT – NOT

RACISM