{"id":71050,"date":"2023-02-09T08:38:51","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T14:38:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=71050"},"modified":"2023-02-09T08:38:55","modified_gmt":"2023-02-09T14:38:55","slug":"public-members-address-indian-mascot-at-hhs-at-board-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=71050","title":{"rendered":"Public members address Indian mascot at HHS at board meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By ALICIA FEYERHERM<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hays USD 489 Board of Education met Monday for a regular meeting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During public comment, Cheryl Duffy addressed the board regarding the Indian mascot at Hays High School. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Duffy said that in 2005, the American Psychological Association asked schools to abandon Native American mascots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s based on a growing body of social science literature that shows the harmful effects of racial stereotyping and inaccurate racial portrayals,\u201d Duffy said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Duffy tied this back to the mission statement of USD 489 which is \u201cTo provide a quality learning experience for every student in every classroom, every day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGoing 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,\u201d Duffy said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many members of the community do not want to change the mascot, and Duffy recognizes that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to have a majority for it to be the right thing to do,\u201d Duffy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another community member, Anna Towns, also spoke about the mascot.\u00a0Towns 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe 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,\u201d Towns said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u201chonored\u201d the culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, with building the new school, Towns said this is the best time to make the change as costs will be mitigated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe knew that we were going to be painting walls and getting a new letterhead and getting a new gym floor,\u201d Towns said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping the Indian mascot could prohibit future growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople 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,\u201d Towns said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI come with that outside perspective that is not always welcomed here,\u201d Nickel said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nickel said she does not purchase high school merchandise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s embarrassing,\u201d she said. \u201cIt makes us feel embarrassed when we go elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a country, Nickel said we are moving on and that Hays needs to catch up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is supposed to be a modern place with forward-thinkers,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Nikki Houchen spoke about the mascot. Houchen is also new to Hays. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI 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,\u201d Houchen said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Houchen has two children at the high school and two at the elementary school, and she said they plan to stay in Hays. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor me, it\u2019s more about, \u2018What does Hays stand for?\u2019,\u201d Houchen said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Other items at the meeting included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n