12-04-2025
Mascot ban bill passes in IL House, what it means for local school districts:
CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — A bill just passed in the Illinois House of Representatives that could change local school districts in a big way.
The legislation, nicknamed the 'Mascot Ban,' was voted through on Thursday. If it gets through the Senate, any school with a native name, logo or mascot would be forced to change them.
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The bill states a school can continue to use uniforms or other materials with native logos until September 2028. However, districts around Central Illinois aren't sure this will help.
Several schools in the area have mascots that would need to change including Neoga, currently they're the Indians. Superintendent Kevin Haarman said in a statement to lawmakers last year that changing the mascot would cost around $500,000. Now, one year later, he brought up those concerns again and said the money would be better spent on students.
State representative Maurice West proposed this bill in January and has introduced a similar legislation in the past.
'A lot of people look at this within the lens of tradition, and I understand and respect that: however, I ask them to look within a lens of empathy as well, because there are indigenous young people who look at these Native American mascots and imagery and feel some type of way about it,' West said. 'It makes them feel less than, it makes them feel objectified.'
Other Native Americans disagree, like Becky Clayton-Anderson who descended from the Hadatsa tribe. She played basketball for the Sullivan High School Redskins and did receive a bit of mocking.
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'Perhaps my freshman year, a few of the area schools kind of taunted me a little bit because they knew I was Native American,' Clayton-Anderson said.
But now, she has a different perspective.
'There's nothing wrong or degrading about the mascot names.'
Clayton-Anderson said she's more worried about Native Americans being pushed out of sight.
'By getting rid of these mascots like the Redskins and the Braves, it just further pushes the Native Americans out of people's minds,' Clayton-Anderson said.
A study published by the American Psychological Association said native mascots can be harmful to all students. The APA said they undermine the education of all people, present wrong stereotypes of American Indians and negatively effects their mental health.
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