Jim Wilson
HIGH SCHOOLS
Worcester Telegram
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
MIAA looks at Native Americans
Last Thursday the MIAA met about the subject of schools with Indian-themed names, logos and mascots and concluded the issue needs further study.
According to the New England Anti-Mascot Coalition, 46 public high schools in Massachusetts have teams with names, logos or mascots with Native American themes. Team names include Indians, Red Raiders, Warriors, Mohawks, Tomahawks, Chieftains, Redmen and Aztecs. The issue will be discussed again at the next meeting scheduled for May 9.
According to North Brookfield athletic director Andy Leach, the committee surveyed athletic directors at schools that have Indian-themed names and logos. Peter Roby, the executive director of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University, said it is studying a possible correlation between increased incidents of violence at schools with Indian-themed mascots and said that initial results showed those schools had nearly twice the number of violent incidents. While he admitted to The Boston Globe there was not enough information to ask what is going on and it wasn't clear there was a direct relationship, he did tell the Globe the center is planning to seek state legislation banning the use of Indian-themed names and logos for high school sports teams.