Maine Bans Native American School Mascots Statewide

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May 19, 2019

Maine has banned the use of Native American symbols as educational institution mascots.

The state legislature, in a unanimous vote, passed the bill that would prohibit public schools, colleges, and universities from such representations; Gov. Janet Mills signed the bill into law.

No high school in the state now has a Native American mascot. The last one to make that happen did so in March 2019, the result of a grassroots movement that began two decades ago.

A 2005 report by the American Psychological Association called for the immediate retirement of all such depictions of Native Americans, saying that they introduced or reinforced negative stereotypes of Native Americans. Across the country, many schools of all educational levels still use such symbols as their mascots.

Similar discussions have taken place in the professional sports arena for many years. The National Football League's Washington team is still called the Redskins; by contrast, the Major League Baseball team in Cleveland is still called the Indians but has retired the controversial Chief Wahoo mascot.

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Social Studies for Kids
copyright 2002–2023
David White

Social Studies for Kids
copyright 2002–2024
David White