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JANUARY 10, 2001

With the Senate confirmation hearing of Rod Paige, President-elect George W. Bush's pick to head the Department of Education, occurring today, Democrats and Republicans have expressed bipartisan support for the African-American superintendent from Houston, Texas.

But while Paige is being praised for improving test scores and decreasing violence at schools in a district where 90 percent of the student body are minorities, Native Americans and their advocates say his district has ignored one of their biggest concerns: the use of American Indians as mascots.

"Over 500 Native American, religious, and civil rights organizations are on record opposing the use of Native American based mascots," said Charles Yow, a Massachusetts attorney with the Native American Heritage Initiative. "Among the school districts with the worst record is the Houston Independent School District lead by Superintendent Dr. Rod Paige."

Across the country, the use or representation of Native Americans in mascots such as "Redskins," "Warriors," "Braves," and "Chiefs" has been questioned at public schools. Sometimes, the names are being eliminated altogether, such as a recent decision made by the Hiawatha district in Kansas. In 1999, the Dallas school district eliminated all of its Indian mascots and said it was "the moral thing to do."

In Houston, though, where less than 1 percent of students are American Indian, mascot opponents say they have faced an uphill battle to raise awareness of the issue within the district. A few elementary, middle, and high schools have Indian-themed mascots.

But it is perhaps the mascot of Lamar High School's that raises the most concern to activists. The school, named for former Texas President Mirabeau Lamar -- whom American Indians say was the "epitome" of genocide and who sent the state's army troops to remove its Cherokee residents to Oklahoma -- features a "Redskins" logo.

The school has looked into the issue but according to officials, faculty and students in 1998 wanted to keep the name. According to Yow, Paige's reaction to the name has been one of indifference.

"In this regard Dr. Paige has refused to even consider the possibility that names such as 'Redskin' could be or are offensive to Native Americans," he said. Yow also said a civil rights complaint is being filed against the district for its use of Indian mascots.

In some instances, however, schools in the district have changed their names. In 1999, the Truitt Middle School changed its "Indians" mascot after students voted to become the "Timberwolves." The same year, the district decided not to use "Warriors" for the new Westside High School.

Paige's hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will be presided over by Chairman Ed Kennedy (D-Ma) today.

Only on Indianz.Com:
Mascot Resources (The Talking Circle)

Relevant Links:
The Houston Independent School District - www.houstonisd.org
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions - www.senate.gov/~labor
The Department of Education - www.ed.gov

Related Stories:
School board votes to keep Sioux name (Indian U. 12/22)
District to get rid of Indian mascots (Indian U. 12/13)