Racist mascot review has merit

The leader of an organization that guides Ohio school board members won't say that using Native Americans as mascots is racist. Instead, Rick Lewis, CEO of the Ohio School Boards Association, said each board should make its own decisions. "As an association, we have had several conversations about this topic. It's not an easy topic to address," he said. Some Ohio school districts, Lewis claimed, have strong connections to local tribes. For instance, Mad River Schools, in Dayton, "received incredible support from the elders seeking to preserve the name and their place in history." When asked if Ohio school board members should feel obligated to conduct research into racism and how their district's insensitive mascots and team names can negatively impact people, Lewis told the Sandusky Register there's nothing wrong with examining them. "But I would discourage you from starting with the premise that every mascot negatively impacts individuals and society just because it is rooted in Native American history," he said. Since George Floyd's murder in May, civil unrest with racial injustice has continued and called many American practices, like mascot names, into question. In recent months, the OSBA approved a resolution, stating it will give school boards resources "to provide students of all backgrounds and abilities with a high-quality education." Lewis cited several examples of the organization's efforts, like starting a diversity and equity committee in 2017 to educate school board members on these topics and "enhance the academic achievement of diverse students," Lewis said. School personnel can sign up for training in diversity and equity and resources to address "issues outside of the classroom that affect academic performance, including chronic absenteeism, equity in education, mental health and poverty." "We want to listen; we want to understand and we want to help," Lewis said. "We owe it to our students." Still no local changes This summer, The Advertiser-Tribune sent questions regarding the use of Native American imagery for mascots and branding to the superintendents and board members of Hopewell-Loudon, Mohawk, Calvert, Fostoria, Lakota and Arcadia schools. Only Hopewell-Loudon and Mohawk's superintendents responded, each saying they hope to bring up the subject at future board meetings. Bellevue and Port Clinton schools, two districts that use racist imagery for their mascots, have refused to say when exactly they'll begin community dialogue about their mascots. In Port Clinton, support for and against changing the mascot continues through separate online petitions. Port Clinton alumni Kevin Donnelly and his sister Jennifer have more than 900 signatures seeking a new mascot. But more than 1,000 people support the other petition, created by Rose Hope, to keep the current mascot. Even during the pandemic, some Ohio schools see worth in reviewing mascots and images depicting Native Americans. It's likely they were influenced by the Washington NFL football team, who, in July, decided to retire its racist mascot after corporate sponsors and Native American groups lobbied for reform. Of the 79 Ohio high schools, as of June, that have such mascots, some have made changes, the Columbus Dispatch reported. Cincinnati Forest Hills, Country Day and Winton Woods schools have stopped using racist mascots and images and about 20 others are considering changes and/or are open to community input. In October, Bucyrus Schools, located 50 miles southwest of Sandusky, heard from Lycia Maddocks, vice president of external affairs of the National Congress of American Indians during a virtual board meeting. The organization, which represents thousands of Native Americans around the United States, has approved multiple resolutions about racist mascots in the past 50 years, the Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum reported. "The warrior-savage myth reinforces the racist views that Indians are uncivilized, uneducated," Maddocks said. "It's been used to justify the policies of forced assimilation and the destruction of Indian culture." Native Americans collectively condemn the use of native-themed teams, she said. "Sports mascots are symbols of disrespect that degrade, mock and harm native people and in particular native youth," Maddocks said. "We believe they have no place in American society."