Native American Representation In Schools

The use of Native American mascots has been a big debate in our nation. Starting with the change of the name of the NFL football team to Commanders, many smaller institutions have been following in their lead. The Department of Education has recently said that New York schools have to stop using Native American references in mascots, team names, and logos by the end of the current school year or they will face penalties like the loss of state aid. This will hopefully incentivize schools to give the respect to Native Americans that they deserve. The argument that using Native American symbols is actually “respectful” has been officially disbanded. The new argument is that students learn from observing their surroundings and the message Native American symbols convey when used in schools is not the right message for students to learn. If districts don’t get recognized approval directly from their districts tribe, they can no longer use any Native representation in any form and must “immediately come into compliance” with the Department of Education's terms. As the National Congress of American Indians considers mascots to be offensive stereotypes, this is a big step in gaining respect for Native communities and tribes all across the country.