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Indian Mascots and Logos

• Institutional Racism in Public Schools

Wisconsin Indian Education Association Indian
Mascot and Logo Task Force www.indianmascots.com
Barbara E. Munson Christine Munson
Barb_at_Munson.net
crmunson_at_prodigy.net
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What do all of these schools have in common?

• Berlin Indians
• Cornell Chiefs
• Lake Holcombe Chieftains
• Menomonie Indians
• Mishicot Indians
• Mosinee Indians

• Mukwonago Indians
• Riverdale Chieftains
• Shiocton Chiefs
• Wonewoc-Center Indians
• Viroqua Blackhawks

Menomonie in Dunn County, WI, not to be confused
with the Menominee Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin.
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They all use the same clip-art for their logo!

• Is that a stereotype, or what!?

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More stereotypes of Indian people in our schools

• Auburndale Apaches
  
• Belmont Braves
• Black Hawk Warriors
• Big Foot Union Chiefs
• Bruce Red Raiders
• Gale-Ettrick-Trempeleau Redmen

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More stereotypes of Indian people in our schools

• Fort Atkinson Blackhawks
• Greenwood Indians
• Kewauskum Indians
• Kewaunee Indians
• Lancaster Flying Arrows
• Menomonee Falls Indians
• Osseo-Fairchild Chieftains

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More stereotypes of Indian people in our schools

• Ozaukee Warriors
• Osceola Chieftains
• Potosi Chieftains
• Poynette Indians
• Prarie du Chien Blackhawks
• Rib Lake Redmen
• Stockbridge Indians
• Seneca Indians

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More stereotypes of Indian 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

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TEACH RESPECT NOT RACISM
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The Task Force

• Created in 1997 at Wisconsin Indian Education
  Association Convention
• Indian educators forced out of home communities
• Committed until all schools eliminate their
  Indian mascot, logo, and/or nickname
• Consists of Indian educators and allies

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How We Do It

• First stirrings of advocacy

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(No Transcript)
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How We Do It

• Advocacy
• Education
• Legislation
• Support
• Litigation
• Coalition Building

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Advocacy

• Newspaper Advertisements
• HONOR Handbook for Advocacy
• T-Shirts, Buttons, Bumper Stickers, and Posters
• Youth Task Force Public Service Announcement
• Letters to the Editor

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(No Transcript)
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Youth Task Force PSA
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Education

• Frame Debate as Education Policy Issue
• Common Themes and Questions About the Use of
  Indian Logos, Barbara E. Munson
• Classroom Presentations and In-services
• Conference Workshops
• Task Force Trainings
• NCCJ Presents KICK
• Resource Materials

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Legislation

• Introduced Five Times at State Level
• Joint Resolutions
• Written and Oral Testimony at Hearings

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Support

• Consultation
• Community Building
• Create a Presence as Requested by Local Advocates
• Build Relationships with School Districts
  Undergoing Change

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Litigation

• Hand vs. Milton School District
• Munson vs. Mosinee School District
• Pfaller vs. Mukwonago School District
• Wycliffe vs. Medford School District
• Affirmative Action Complaints in Viroqua Area
  School District
• Pending Litigation in Osseo-Fairchild School
  District

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Coalition Building

• National Indian Education Association
• National Education Association
• National Conference for Community and Justice
• HONOR
• Midwest Treaty Network
• State and Tribal Task Forces
• Wisconsin State Human Relations Association
• Wisconsin Education Association Council

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Resolutions of Support

• American Indian Sports Team Mascots, Robert Eurich

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Need for Allies

• Continued need for awareness and education
• American Indian comprise less than 1 of US
  population
• Stereotyping impacts everybody

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From Pen to Sword

• United States Commission for Civil Rights
• The stereotyping of any racial, ethnic,
  religious or other groups when promoted by our
  public educational institutions, teach all
  students that stereotyping of minority groups is
  acceptable, a dangerous lesson in a diverse
  society.

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From Pen to Sword

• United States Commission for Civil Rights
• The elimination of stereotypes will make room
  for education about real Indian people, current
  Native American issues, and the rich variety of
  American Indians in our country.

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From Pen to Sword

• RESEARCH ABSTRACT
• Stephanie Fryberg, Ph.D (Tuyalip)Social
  Psychology Stanford UniversityDecember, 2002
• Study 5 - European American students were
  explicitly primed with social representations of
  American Indians (i.e., Pocahontas, Chief Wahoo
  or Negative Stereotypes). They reported
  heightened self-esteem when compared to European
  Americans in the no-prime control condition. This
  boost in self-esteem for European Americans
  suggests that the dominant social representations
  of minority groups have significant implications
  for the psychological functioning of both
  minority and majority group members.

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Discussion and Feedback

• How can the information from the publications be
  utilized in your local community to raise the
  level of understanding about this issue?

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TEACH RESPECT NOT RACISM