The use of Indians as mascots is discriminatory, the Montana Human Rights Bureau ruled last month.

The Ronan School District on the Flathead Reservation uses "Chiefs" and "Maidens" as its mascots. Francine Dupuis, a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, has been questioning their use.

Investigator Elaine Benedict of the Human Rights Bureau said the use of the mascots singles Indian people out based on their race. "Such names and images teach all students, regardless of race, that stereotyping and trivializing another culture's beliefs is acceptable," she wrote, The Missoulian reported.

Other schools on the reservation use "Savages" and "Warriors" as mascots.

Get the Story:
Ronan Indian mascots called into question (The Missoulian 1/15)

Relevant Links:
Montana Human Rights Bureau - http://erd.dli.mt.gov/humanright/hrhome.asp

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