"Faced with a $1.5 billion budget shortfall that's crippling state services and forcing cuts to K-12 schools, a group of mostly statehouse Democrats have banded together towait for it — require public high schools to get state permission to use American Indian-themed mascots.

And if they don't, the cash-strapped, taxpayer-funded schools will be punished with monthly $1,000 fines.

Given the strife in Haiti and the ongoing debate over health care, it seems petty and trivial to write about Senate Bill 107, sponsored by Aurora Democrats Sen. Suzanne Williams and Rep. Nancy Todd. But hey, they brought it up and these are your tax dollars at work.

And they wonder why the electorate is seething.

The bill would mandate that any public or charter high school "that uses an American Indian mascot to either cease using the mascot or obtain approval for the continued use of the American Indian mascot or another American Indian mascot from the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs."

If not, the school would be fined.

The use of American Indian mascots is hardly the most pressing issue facing our schools, or even Native American students, who saw their graduation rate slip in 2009."

Get the Story:
Dan Haley: Mascot battle is a trivial pursui (The Denver Post 1/24)

Earlier Story:
Bill would require high school mascots to get Colorado OK (The Denver Post 1/22)