Public members address Indian mascot at HHS at board meeting

By ALICIA FEYERHERM

The Hays USD 489 Board of Education met Monday for a regular meeting. 

During public comment, Cheryl Duffy addressed the board regarding the Indian mascot at Hays High School. 

Duffy said that in 2005, the American Psychological Association asked schools to abandon Native American mascots. 

“It’s based on a growing body of social science literature that shows the harmful effects of racial stereotyping and inaccurate racial portrayals,” Duffy said. 

Duffy tied this back to the mission statement of USD 489 which is “To provide a quality learning experience for every student in every classroom, every day.”

“Going back to what was said at the outset about valuing and championing all children, I think we have to recognize those from a Native American background,” Duffy said. 

Colorado has banned Native American mascots, and Duffy said that while the Kansas Board of Education has only recommended schools change, she said it shows the state is moving towards being more racially sensitive. 

Many members of the community do not want to change the mascot, and Duffy recognizes that.

“It doesn’t have to have a majority for it to be the right thing to do,” Duffy said.

Duffy also pushed back against the assertion that Native American mascots honor Native Americans. Duffy cited the National Congress of American Indians which says sports mascots are a symbol of disrespect that degrade, mock and harm native people. 

Another community member, Anna Towns, also spoke about the mascot. Towns took the perspective of the students in the district and saw the building of the new high school as a fresh start and a way to get students involved.

“We could engage these students to be proactive in their school, and I think it would be awesome to host some sort of contest to pick a mascot,” Towns said.

Towns further elaborated on the point that the mascots honor the Native Americans saying when she was a student at Hays High, they never discussed Native Americans of the area or participated in anything else that “honored” the culture.

Furthermore, with building the new school, Towns said this is the best time to make the change as costs will be mitigated. 

“We knew that we were going to be painting walls and getting a new letterhead and getting a new gym floor,” Towns said. 

Keeping the Indian mascot could prohibit future growth. 

“People do not want to come to a racist community, and I think having a mascot that is a caricature of an entire nation says that to people whether we intend that or not,” Towns said. 

Amber Nickel spoke about the mascot. Nickel moved to Hays about a year and a half ago and has a daughter at Hays High School and a daughter at Hays Middle School.

“I come with that outside perspective that is not always welcomed here,” Nickel said. 

Nickel said she does not purchase high school merchandise.

“It’s embarrassing,” she said. “It makes us feel embarrassed when we go elsewhere.”

As a country, Nickel said we are moving on and that Hays needs to catch up. 

“This is supposed to be a modern place with forward-thinkers,” she said. 

Finally, Nikki Houchen spoke about the mascot. Houchen is also new to Hays. 

“I am from a native family, my great grandma was native, and growing up, that was a sense of pride and learning about that was very important,” Houchen said. 

Houchen has two children at the high school and two at the elementary school, and she said they plan to stay in Hays. 

“For me, it’s more about, ‘What does Hays stand for?’,” Houchen said. 

Houchen also asked the board how the decision would be made and how the public would know what is going on at the branding committee meetings.

Board President Craig Pallister said the committee is set to meet again in approximately a week, but no path forward has been set. 

Other items at the meeting included:

  • Approval of a bid from Kansas City Audio Visual for $48,100.80 for Clear Touch Interactive teaching boards and installation at Early Childhood Connections.
  • Executive Director of Grow Hays presented.
  • Approval of the purchase of two Bluebird school buses for $255,213.00 from Kansas Truck through the Kansas School Bus Purchasing Program.
  • Approval of new certified teaching positions for the 2023-24 school year.
  • Renewal of district spam and filtering service.

The next board meeting will be Feb. 20.

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