GRANITE CITY, IL (KMOX)-Officials, alumni and fans of several metro east schools are watching Springfield, to see if legislation that could force them to change their Native American mascots becomes law. Among them is Granite City Unified School District #9 Superintendent Jim Greenwald, who doesn't feel a change is necessary.
"Our Warrior," Greenwald says, " is a sign of strength and honor and integrity and has always been very well respected. That is what we stand for and that is what we emulate with our Warrior.
"My goodness," he says, "I see the Warrior come out and emulate honor. I see the cheerleaders, at times, dressed in Native American-type garb. I just see our huge mural on the wall which reminds us at every baskeball game, at every event, that it's Warrior honor."
The bill would allow schools using Native American mascots to keep them, if they get permission from a tribe within 500 miles every five years. It would also require them to offer a course outlining Native American contributions to society.
Greenwald says he would welcome a meeting with a nearby tribe. "I would have the same conversation with the honorable Indian Chief that I'm having right now. We have a history of the having the ultimate respect, honor and power of strength of being the Warriors."
He says has never seen any kind of disprespect linked to the school's use of the mascot. "I really do not feel that a change would be merited based upon any disrespect or any direction we've gone toward the Warrior."
Meanwhile, Collinsville Superintendent Mark Skertich released a statement saying in part, "the Kahok mascot is a treasured part of our local community and if the legislation is enacted, we will expore all options."
The bill is currently in a house committee.