Govenor signs new Native mascot bill

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber signed a new Native American mascot bill on Thursday, March 6, that will make the Oregon Board of Education develop rules that guide the use of the mascots and involve the state's nine federally recognized Tribes in the process.

The Board of Education passed a sweeping ban on Native American mascots in 2012 and the Legislature passed a bill in 2013 that would have allowed schools to keep their Native American mascots if they reached an agreement with a nearby Tribe.

Kitzhaber vetoed that bill because he said it created too broad of an exemption on the ban.

The new bill, SB 1509, sends the issue back to the Board of Education, which will develop rules allowing certain mascots, with an exemption likely similar to NCAA rules that permit universities to use the Native imagery and name of a certain Tribe with the Tribe's permission, such as the Florida State Seminoles.

Throughout the two-year process, Grand Ronde Tribal leaders, such as Tribal Council Chairman Reyn Leno and Tribal Council members Cheryle A. Kennedy and Kathleen Tom, have consistently testified that they do not deem Native American mascots as de facto derogatory. Team mascots are supposed to be inspirational and many Native chiefs and braves from Oregon deserve to be recognized in such a manner.

Grand Ronde Tribal leaders also chided the Board of Education for leaving them out of the decision-making process in 2012, ignoring the government-to-government relationship Oregon has established with its nine Tribal governments.

Leno also testified several times before legislative committees that the best way for Oregon to end discrimination against Native Americans is to include the history of the state's Tribes in its school's history curriculum instead of just teaching about the Apache, Sioux and other Plains Tribes.

The new mascot bill unanimously passed the Oregon Senate and was approved by the Oregon House in a 40-18 vote.

"Given that everyone impacted may not be party to the agreement process outlined," Kitzhaber said, "I want to encourage all parties who may be involved in the agreement process to consider the community impact of the use of these mascots and to develop agreements which promote inclusive and culturally appropriate practices."

The closest schools to the Grand Ronde Tribe that use Native American mascots are the Banks Braves, Amity Warriors and Molalla Indians.

Includes information from The Oregonian.