THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 
ALBANY, NY 12234


President of the University and
Commissioner of Education

 
April 5, 2001
 
TO: Presidents of Boards of Education and Superintendents of Public Schools
FROM: Richard P. Mills
SUBJECT: Public School Use of Native American Names, Symbols, and Mascots
 
Some time ago, I directed Department staff to study the use of Native American 
mascots by public schools. I would like to share with you the results of that 
work.

What I conclude:

Our review confirmed that the use of Native American symbols is part of 
time-honored traditions in some of our communities, and that there are deeply 
felt, albeit conflicting, ideas about them. Some members of these communities 
believe that the mascots honor or pay tribute to Native Americans and their 
culture. However, most Native Americans appear to find the portrayal by others 
of their treasured cultural and religious symbols disparaging and disrespectful. 
Many others who have looked at this issue concur. 

After careful thought and consideration, I have concluded that the use of Native 
American symbols or depictions as mascots can become a barrier to building a 
safe and nurturing school community and improving academic achievement for all 
students. I ask the superintendents and presidents of school boards to lead 
their communities to a new understanding of this matter. I ask boards to end the 
use of Native American mascots as soon as practical. Some communities have 
thought about this and are ready to act. Others already have acted and I commend 
them. Yet, in others, more reflection and listening is needed, and so I ask that 
these discussions begin now. I believe that local leaders can find the right way 
to inquire into this matter and resolve it locally. Next year I will formally 
evaluate the progress on this issue. 

Here is my reasoning.

What we found:

There has already been extensive statewide discussion of this issue. Some of it 
is eloquent. We sought the views of local superintendents. Many wrote directly 
and many others expressed their thoughts through District Superintendents. I 
have had extended conversations with a few of them. We contacted representatives 
of Native American communities. We also asked the counsel of District 
Superintendents. We researched the literature on this subject and read legal 
documents from other states. We examined New York law, regulation, and Regents 
policy. In addition, many citizens wrote to us.

The use of Native American names, symbols, and mascots is such a significant 
issue that it is being looked at in other states, in professional sports, at the 
collegiate level, as well as at the local level in some New York school 
districts. The Society of the Indian Psychologists of Americas has raised the 
concern that use of these mascots and symbols creates an "unwelcome academic 
environment" for Native American students. Organizations such as the NAACP and 
the NEA have issued statements calling for an end to the use of mascots. The 
U.S. Census 2000 issued a resolution stating that it would not include teams 
that used these symbols as part of its promotional program. Over the last 30 
years, more than 600 colleges, universities and high schools have changed or 
eliminated their use of Native American mascots. For example, the Los Angeles 
school board required its junior high and high schools to drop Native 
American-themed names and mascots, and 20 high schools in Wisconsin followed 
suit. Collegiate institutions such as Miami University of Ohio, St. John’s 
University, Siena College and Stanford University have changed their school 
logos. In the professional sports world, objections have also arisen, and it is 
clear that recent expansion teams in professional baseball, hockey, football and 
basketball have avoided the use of Indian-themed names or mascots. 

In 1999, the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division 
investigated a North Carolina school district to determine if the high school’s 
mascot and nicknames violated Federal Civil Rights Law by creating a racially 
hostile environment. That investigation was closed after the school district’s 
board of education decided to eliminate the use of Native American religious 
symbols.

In August 2000, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer reviewed this issue as it related 
to a New York State school district. The Attorney General raised serious 
concerns that certain uses of Native American mascots and symbols could violate 
the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. His opinion identified many factors that 
school districts should consider in examining their use of these symbols and 
mascots, particularly areas such as stereotypical nicknames, images, gestures 
and use of historical and religious symbols such as feather headdress, 
face-paint, or totem poles.

Clearly, many of those who are thinking deeply about this issue are concerned 
that the use of these symbols should end.

The argument:

Schools must provide a safe and supportive environment that promotes achievement 
of the standards for all children. The use of Native American mascots by some 
schools can make that school environment seem less safe and supportive to some 
children, and may send an inappropriate message to children about what is or is 
not respectful behavior toward others. For that reason we must question the use 
of such mascots. If children and parents in the school community are offended or 
made to feel diminished by the school mascot, what school leader or board would 
not want to know that and correct the situation? School mascots are intended to 
make a statement about what the school values. School leaders and communities 
may not be aware that the statement heard can be contrary to the one intended.
Here are some thoughts from a student: "Today this school promotes respect, 
responsibility, compassion, honesty, and tolerance. When you use words like 
these, you need to teach by example. The resigning of this mascot would be a 
great example of these character education words. I would like to see my 
brother, sister, and cousins go to a school that shows respect and tolerance for 
other cultures. I don’t want them to feel the confusion that I have felt going 
to this school. It has taken me a couple of years to come to understand Native 
American stereotypes and their effects on me. By keeping [this] mascot the 
principal lesson the students, staff, and community learn is how to tolerate 
stereotypes."

Some argue that such mascots honor Native Americans. Most Native American 
representatives do not share that view. 

Some would argue that mascots that are problematic could be made dignified 
through some state review process. It is difficult to imagine how to craft 
criteria to make such a judgement process feasible on a statewide basis. Most 
people would recognize and deplore mocking, distorted representations of 
minority group members. However, fair-minded people might view these mascots as 
respectful without realizing that the representation included religious symbols 
that Native American observers would find distressing when used in that manner.
Some urge keeping the status quo. That is not realistic either. Collegiate 
sports and newer professional teams have recognized changing public attitudes 
and decided not to use Native American mascots. The same changes that affected 
them will eventually overtake schools. It would be better to resolve the matter 
now. The central role of sports in this issue is advantageous. Few areas of 
American life are as concerned about fairness and respect for individual value 
and achievement as is the world of sport. We can turn to those values as we 
think about mascots.

Some call for an immediate and statewide halt to the use of these mascots. That 
approach is not advisable. People in many communities haven’t had an opportunity 
to talk about this and listen to one another. There are cherished traditions 
surrounding many of the mascots. There are even significant costs involved: 
consider mascots on team uniforms and gymnasium floors, to cite obvious 
examples. In any case, local remedies should be exhausted first. Many 
communities have engaged the issue and made changes. Many other communities will 
now do so.

Still others believe this is a local matter. I cannot agree that it is only a 
local matter. There is a state interest in providing a safe and supportive 
learning environment for every child. The use of Native American mascots 
involves a state responsibility as well. 
Here are some questions that might help local communities consider how to 
approach the issue. I have adapted them from ideas suggested by a New York 
School Superintendent and they seem like a good place to begin.

    Do Native Americans and non-Native Americans perceive the mascot 
    differently? 
    Is there a significant difference between how the mascot may have been 
    intended and how it is interpreted? 
    How should an organization respond if its well-intentioned actions 
    unintentionally offend a member of the group’s religious or ethnic beliefs? 
    Are there other symbols that represent the school’s values that could be 
    used in place of the existing mascot?

I call upon school leaders in communities that use Native American symbols, 
names, or mascots to pose these questions to their communities and lead them in 
a discussion of the right path to take. It is important that our students learn 
about the diversity of our communities so that they will understand and respect 
our differences and draw strength from them in becoming good citizens and 
productive adults. School administrators, staff, parents and community members 
play a critical role in modeling behavior that celebrates and honors the 
traditions and beliefs of our fellow citizens. As educators, we have an 
obligation to inform communities so that they might come to understand the pain, 
however unintentionally inflicted, these symbols cause.