Maine Will Become First State to Ban Native American Mascots
Back in March, after many contentious hearings and debate, Skowhegan School Board voted to retire their official "Indians" mascot. Following suit, Maine will soon become the first state to ban the use of Native American symbols as mascots in public schools, colleges and universities, according to HuffPost.
The bill passed unanimously in the state's Legislature and Governor Mills signed it into law on Thursday. It will become effective 90 days after the legislative body adjourns, Huffpost reports.
As a result of the new law, all public schools in Maine will be prohibited from adopting a name, symbol or image that depicts or refers to a Native American “tribe, individual, custom or tradition and that is used as a mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead or team name of the school.” That means no more Indians, Blackhawks, Redskins, or any other offensive references to Native Americans used as representation in Maine schools.
“A mascot is a symbol of pride, but it is not the source of pride,” Mills said. “Our people, communities, and understanding and respect for one another are Maine’s source of pride and it is time our symbols reflect that.”