(Spirit Lake)– Controversy over the Spirit Lake Schools Indian mascot has again surfaced. Officials with the Spirit Lake Community School District say they’ve received a letter from the Spirit Lake Tribe out of North Dakota expressing its objection to the use of the “Indian” as the district’s mascot. The tribe says the mascot is offensive and insensitive, adding it’s a form of institutional racism. The tribe also expressed its belief the mascot incites stereotyping and hostility.
Controversy over the matter surfaced as recently as 2006 when a decision was being made on whether or not an Indian head would be painted on the floor of the new gym at Spirit Lake High School. According to school officials, a poll was conducted at that time which found 74 percent were in support of keeping the mascot while 22 percent wanted it changed and four percent had no opinion. The school board voted 5-0 in April of 2006 to keep the mascot with limitations about the use of the logo and maintaining respect to the Native American culture. That included one specific logo that was allowed and prohibits the use of tomahawk or other chants, does not allow for spears or hatchets, and prohibits dressing up as the Indian mascot or wearing feathers or headdresses, bans any demeaning references and implemented education into the curriculum with regard to Native American culture. In a statement, district officials say “to date, these same expectations are in place within our district.”
The Indian mascot in the Spirit Lake School District dates back to 1904. School officials say it was intended to embody the historical significance of the Native American cultural influence in the area.
You can read the district’s statement and letter from the Spirit Lake Tribe by clicking here.
The statement doesn’t say whether or not the board plans to address the matter in the immediate future.
