Honor or shame?: New legislation sparks Native American mascot debate again in Illinois

Student-athletes have come and gone in one Montgomery County high school, some carrying trophies, others carrying memories. But over the past century, all have been represented by the same controversial mascot.

The mascot at Nokomis High School has been the Redskins since a 1920 vote among the town's voters. The town, home to 2,100 residents, itself is named after a Native American mythological figure featured in a Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem.

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Legislation being considered in Springfield would do away with Nokomis' mascot along with every public K-12 school in the state using a Native American name, logo or mascot. Superintendent Scott Doerr told The State Journal-Register that the bill is legislative overreach on what should be a local decision.

The change is also one that could cost the district an estimated $500,000, he said, which could see an increase in property taxes to cover the sum.

"Our signage, our gym floors ... everything that indicates some kind of logo or mascot is going to have to be changed," Doerr said in an interview, now in his 15th year as superintendent. "So, you're looking at a large amount of money that is supposed to go to educate kids are now going to fund another unfunded mandate passed by the state of Illinois."

Requiring Illinois schools to do away with Native American mascots and logos has been an effort years in the making, several attempts not advancing in prior general assemblies. But, following a ban in New York, Colorado and other states plus professional sports teams changing their mascot like the NFL's Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians of the MLB, state lawmakers are again considering the initiative.

The language this session is contained in House Bill 5617, which would prohibit schools already with Native American names, logos and mascots from using them starting in the 2027-2028 school year. If passed this spring session, these schools could only continue using them through that date if they select a new, non-prohibited school or team name.

Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, is the bill's lead sponsor and plans to file an amendment to his legislation. The amendment, he said, will clarify schools with Native town names like Nokomis or Waukegan would not have to change and create a partnership between the Illinois State Board of Education and the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative to adopt guidelines for schools where the legislation would apply.

Implementation being pushed back to 2027 would also allow for more changes if necessary. West does not see his bill as punitive towards school districts, rather as a way to uplift members of the Native American community.

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"My focus is not just on trying to change the imagery for all of our schools who are using it," he said, similarly leading legislation requiring schools to teach a unit on Native American history last year. "But my focus is the mental health of the Native American students throughout our communities."

The bill, not called in a House committee hearing before an April 5 deadline, has received a considerable amount of opposition.

The matter however, Andrew Johnson, executive director of the Native American Chamber of Commerce of Illinois, said is not a popularity contest. Instead, the focus should be on how the reverberations of harmful stereotypes impact Native and non-native students alike.

"When you perpetuate these kinds of misrepresentations through the mascots you know, we're really being portrayed as a culture of people frozen in time," he said in a phone interview. "We're here, we are a vibrant community in Illinois. We practice and honor our ancestors, our history, and are looking to be much more active from a policy and advocacy standpoint."

Nokomis is one of 89 schools nationwide that use "Redskin" as a mascot according to the National Congress of American Indians. More than 1,900 schools use a Native-themed mascot such as Indians, Braves, Chiefs and Warriors per the NCAI database as of May 2023. Other local schools include the Athens Warriors and Pawnee Indians.

Some Springfield area schools have already made the change like the Chatham Glenwood Titans, formerly the Redskins, while the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired in Jacksonville updated its logo last year. It appears, however, that Nokomis will not follow suit.

"I can understand how some people may feel it's denigrating," said Doerr. "But it's also an honor, that we can celebrate the accomplishments that Native Americans had in our area and in our communities."

For Johnson, a Cherokee, that feeling is not held by Native Americans, saying "to be honored, it would seem that we need to be a two-way street."

Contact Patrick M. Keck: 312-549-9340, pkeck@gannett.com, twitter.com/@pkeckreporter.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Could Illinois lawmakers prohibit Native American mascots in schools?