Say goodbye to the West Allegheny, Penn Hills and Penn Hills Indians? The Aliquippa Quips? Elizabeth Forward and Mohawk Warriors? Seneca Valley and Uniontown Raiders?
One Pennsylvania lawmaker wants to ban American Indian mascots at high schools across the state.
Democratic Rep. Christopher Rabb, of Philadelphia, issued a memo on Monday proposing legislation that would “ban the use of Native American/American Indian mascots or logos in public schools.”
“Many public schools and sports teams across Pennsylvania use or refer to indigenous culture in their mascots and logos,” Rep. Rabb said in a memo. “Decades of social science research have shown how derogatory mascots have a serious negative psychological and social impact on those with an indigenous heritage.
Rabb adds that the mascot “Indian” “is a denial of the personhood of Native peoples, which has real consequences.”
He also cited the NCAA prohibiting 18 colleges from using “derogatory mascots” in 2005.
“For far too long, indigenous peoples have faced discrimination, disrespect, and violence,” said Rabb. “Our commonwealth must not remain complicit in the perpetuation of derogatory, bigoted, and harmful practices which encourage bullying and other forms of abuse. Therefore, eliminating the use of offensive stereotypes for school mascots is the least we can do to begin mending the damage done by the appalling historical oppression of these groups.”
Rabb is asking for co-sponsors in the House of Representatives.
In 2022, North Hills voted to keep its “Indians” mascot name but phased out the use of its chief logo.
The cost to rebrand after a logo or mascot change can cost between $5,000 and $100,000.