LETTER: Clear reasons to replace Hays' Indian mascot

I have been a citizen of Hays, Kansas, for 33 years, and my daughter attended all four years of high school at HHS, graduating in 2005.  She and I are of the same mind regarding the HHS mascot, and I’m sharing that view here.

The Kansas Board of Education this past November urged school districts to eliminate American Indian mascots within the next 3-5 years. Approximately 24 Kansas schools still have such mascots, and the Hays High Indians are one of them. With plans underway to build new Hays High School, the time is right to comply and change the HHS mascot.

In fact, it’s past time to make this change.  The American Psychological Association (APA) passed a resolution way back in 2005 calling for schools to abandon such mascots.  Here’s a summary of the resolution from the APA website:

“In 2005, the APA called for the immediate retirement of all American Indian mascots, symbols, images and personalities by schools, colleges, universities, athletic teams and organizations. APA's position is based on a growing body of social science literature that shows the harmful effects of racial stereotyping and inaccurate racial portrayals, including the particularly harmful effects of American Indian sports mascots on the social identity development and self-esteem of American Indian young people.”

So what’s keeping this mascot change from happening?  I’ve heard several claims against making a change that I would like to address here.

Claim:  Most of the people we’re hearing from do not support changing the mascot, so we should keep it the same.

Response:  A majority do not have to favor change for it to be the right course of action.  A majority of Southerners would likely not have supported the abolition of slavery—but it was,nevertheless, the right thing to do.

Claim:  But it’s not offensive.  We’re honoring Indians with this mascot.

Response:  Ask the National Congress of American Indians if they feel honored.  You don’t have to ask them, as they have already made this statement on their website: 

“NCAI is the oldest, largest, and most representative national organization that shares the unified voice of hundreds of Tribal Nations representing millions of Native people, and that voice has been consistent and clear for decades: sports mascots are symbols of disrespect that degrade, mock, and harm Native people.”

Claim:  I’m German, and I would not be offended if Germans were used as mascots.

Response:  How about the “Krauts”?  Would that perhaps be offensive?  It might be, given that it’s a false name given to German people, just as “Indians” is a false name based on the mistaken assumption that Columbus had sailed to India when he landed in the Americas. Moreover, Germans in this country have not experienced the widespread oppression and injustice endured by indigenous people who had their land stolen, their children taken away for “re-education,” treaties broken, etc.  So it is truly a false comparison.

Claim:  It’s tradition.

Response:  In Kansas, Wichita North High School has changed its mascot from the “Redskins” to the “Redhawks.”  Their principal, Stephanie Wasco, notes in a KWCH article that the memories made by former students over the years are not diminished by a new mascot:

“It doesn’t change the memories they have here. It doesn’t change the pride they have here,” Wasko said. “It doesn’t change the friends they made here or the education they got here. Those things they can still be proud of. We’re simply changing the name of the mascot. It’s not changing anything that’s important to them.”

The Cleveland Guardians (formerly Indians) and the Washington Commanders (formerly Redskins) are two national sports teams who have not let something like “tradition” keep them from moving forward from a racist and insensitive past.

Claim:  We’re erasing our history if we get rid of the “Indians” mascot.

Response: Logically, then, any event or group not designated as a mascot is erased from history?  Forgive me if I find this argument to be absurd.  Beyond the absurdity, please recognize that history is preserved in many, many more respectful ways—such as through the Ellis County Historical Society or the many websites, textbooks, organizations, and journals devoted to the honorable work of preserving history.  School mascots do not belong in that list.

Claim:  It will cost too much.

Response:  If you read the sources below (from such credible sites as the Associated Press, the PEW Research Trust, and the American Psychological Association), you’ll see that the writing is on the wall—and has been for some time.  The day is coming when it will no longer be simply a “strong recommendation” to change our mascot.  Colorado, our next-door neighbor, for example, has already banned their use statewide.  We will actually save money in the long run if we change our mascot now rather than waiting until after we have wasted money on “Indians” branding that will likely need to be removed due to a future mandate.

The arguments against changing the mascot simply don’t hold up.  Therefore, if the Kansas Board of Education, the American Psychological Association, and the National Congress of American Indians ALL say that having “Indians” as a mascot is damaging and offensive and it should be replaced, why would we not do so?  

Sincerely,
Cheryl Hofstetter Duffy, Hays

For further reading:

“Kansas BOE: Schools Should Drop Native American Mascots”—November 2022

APA Resolution Recommending the Immediate Retirement of American Indian Mascots, Symbols, Images, and Personalities by Schools, Colleges, Universities, Athletic Teams, and Organizations

“‘We ought to be ashamed’: Kansas Board Urges Schools to Eliminate American Indian Mascots”

“Kansas Board Recommends Ending American Indian Mascots” (Associated Press)

“Ending the Era of Harmful ‘Indian’ Mascots” (National Congress of American Indians)

Ending the Legacy of Racism in Sports & the Era of Harmful “Indian” Sports Mascots (a 2013 policy paper from the National Congress of American Indians—NCAI)

“Heeding Tribal Leaders, States Ban Native Mascots”