Roseburg School Board meeting livestream from April 28, 2021.
Credit Roseburg Public Schools on YouTube
School board members had to unanimously approve a motion to eliminate the “Roseburg Indians”, and the vote fell one short of that at a meeting this week. Director Charles Lee was the dissenting vote.
Amanda Mendoza is a member of Roseburg High’s Class of 2001, and is Muskogee Creek, Choctaw, and Cherokee heritage. For the past year, she s circulated a petition to have the Indians removed, as major sports franchises in Washington D.C. and Cleveland have done with their Native American-themed team names. Talking to KLCC, Mendoza shared her disappointment with the meeting’s outcome.
Jessica Bascom, a Roseburg High School alumnus and the person who has been leading the “Not Your Mascot” movement since last summer told KEZI 9 News that she was extremely disappointed by the vote.
Roseburg High School to remain the Indians
The board had to unanimously vote in favor of the motion for it to pass and it fell short by one vote.
Posted: Apr 28, 2021 7:05 PM
Updated: Apr 29, 2021 7:42 AM
Posted By: Connor McCarthy
ROSEBURG, Ore. The Roseburg School Board failed to pass a motion Wednesday night that would retire the Roseburg High School mascot.
All but one board member supported retiring the mascot as the Indians. According to school district policy, changing the name of any of their campus s mascots or facility names must get unanimous approval by the school board. Director Charles Lee was the only board member to vote against the proposal. Therefore, Roseburg High School will remain the Indians for the foreseeable future.
Native-themed school mascots on borrowed time in Washington state unless nearby tribe approves
Washington public schools with Native American-themed team names or mascots have a decision to make now that Gov. Jay Inslee has signed into law a ban on such symbols. The schools have until year s end to find a new mascot or try to win the blessing of a nearby tribe for continued use under an exception.
Inslee on Monday wasted little time signing legislation sent to him last week by the Washington Legislature to phase out inappropriate tribal mascots. This bill will end the disrespectful use of Native American imagery in our public schools, Inslee said at a private signing ceremony streamed from in his office.
Rebecca White / Spokane Public Radio
Washington public schools with Native American-themed team names or mascots have a decision to make now that Gov. Jay Inslee has signed into law a ban on such symbols. The schools have until year s end to find a new mascot or try to win the blessing of a nearby tribe for continued use under an exception.
Inslee on Monday wasted little time signing legislation sent to him last week by the Washington Legislature to phase out inappropriate tribal mascots. This bill will end the disrespectful use of Native American imagery in our public schools, Inslee said at a private signing ceremony streamed from in his office.