RI Coalition for Israel, a state-wide pro-Israel advocacy organization of Christians and Jews, on Monday called for a hate crime to be charged against the individual who was arrested last week for leaving an antisemitic note at the Brown-RISD Hillel.
Lorén Spears, executive director, Tomaquag Indigenous Museum
Ponaganset High School is embroiled in a skirmish over its use of a Native American mascot, the chieftain.
Although the number of such mascots has been declining over the years, more than 1,200 schools still use indigenous names and images such as chiefs, redskins and warriors, according to fivethirtyeight.com.
Last year the Washington Redskins NFL team dropped its nickname in the wake of racial justice protests in response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer.
The discussion over the Ponaganset mascot, a chieftain in full headdress, surfaced last summer during the height of the Black Lives Matter protests that roiled cities large and small. Members of the Nipmuc tribe in northern Rhode Island contacted the Rhode Island Commission on Prejudice and Bias, a public body established by the legislature, to begin a conversation with the regional school committee.�
Attorney General Peter F. Neronha has established a Civil Rights Team made up of criminal and civil attorneys to bring a coordinated and focused approach to the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes and police misconduct – whether pursued criminally or civilly. Comprised of the Civil Rights Advocate in the Civil Division and a new Civil Rights Prosecution Unit in the Criminal Division, the expanded team ensures that civil rights matters are addressed with the level of scrutiny and professionalism that all communities in the State deserve.
“While increasing and expanding civil rights work has been one of my top priorities, our goal is to build and embed an approach that lives well beyond my administration,” said Attorney General Neronha. “We adopted this new structure after reviewing similar models in other states for best practices and engaging in many conversations with advocates, community organizations and elected officials.