Dem Schiavo bill seeks to ban ‘derogatory’ Native American school mascots 

We have a $73 billion deficit.  We have high gas and food prices.  Newsom is raising the cost of doing business, meaning raising the cost of products and services—causing inflation.  Yet, a nutty Democrat wants the Sate to pay for the changing of mascots for schools.  No, seriously.

“As Hart High School’s mascot change from “Indians” to “Hawks” continues to take shape, Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, has introduced a bill that could help with some of the monetary costs associated with that switch, and force other schools to take the same path. 

Earlier this year, Schiavo and Assemblyman James Ramos, D-Highland, introduced Assembly Bill 3074, also known as the California Racial Mascots Act, which would prohibit public schools “from using any derogatory Native American term, as defined, as a school or athletic team name, mascot, or nickname,” beginning July 1, 2026. 

The bill would allow for schools to receive permission from a local, federally recognized Native American tribe or tribal organization to use a certain name.”

Note the discrimination.  Native American groups will approve names.  Note the NAACP, any Hispanic or Asian group.  Worse, then use tax dollars to finance this scam.  No wonder we have a massive deficit.  We have Democrat legislatures with a massive lack of intelligence.

Schiavo bill seeks to ban ‘derogatory’ Native American school mascots 

TYLER WAINFELD, Santa Clarita Valley Signal,  5/1/24  https://signalscv.com/2024/05/schiavo-bill-seeks-to-ban-derogatory-native-american-school-mascots/

As Hart High School’s mascot change from “Indians” to “Hawks” continues to take shape, Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, has introduced a bill that could help with some of the monetary costs associated with that switch, and force other schools to take the same path. 

Earlier this year, Schiavo and Assemblyman James Ramos, D-Highland, introduced Assembly Bill 3074, also known as the California Racial Mascots Act, which would prohibit public schools “from using any derogatory Native American term, as defined, as a school or athletic team name, mascot, or nickname,” beginning July 1, 2026. 

The bill would allow for schools to receive permission from a local, federally recognized Native American tribe or tribal organization to use a certain name. Schools operated by a Native American tribe or tribal organization would also be exempt, as would be community colleges and California State and University of California four-year universities. 

“The idea for AB 3074, which eliminates culturally harmful mascots, was brought to our office from the local community, who expressed concern about the impact Native American mascots had on our students and our community as a whole,” Schiavo said in a prepared statement. “I’m proud that our community is a model of tackling this issue and navigating a resolution to our mascot history. Given that there is already existing law in place banning a derogatory Native American name that was commonly used for mascots, it was a simple solution to introduce a bill that ensures existing law is more inclusive of derogatory terms.” 

“In close consultation with tribal leaders,” Schiavo continued, “our Native American Caucus Chair Assemblymember Ramos, and following the lead of student leaders, we moved forward with AB 3074, which aims to create safe and inclusive schools for all of our students — one they can be proud of.” 

The William S. Hart Union High School District governing board voted in July 2021 to remove “Indians” as the mascot of Hart High, citing a need to move away from a race-based symbol that the school has been associated with since Jan. 10, 1946. The board decided to make this change no later than 2025. 

Earlier this year, Hart students and staff voted to make “Hawks” the new mascot. According to Hart Principal Jason d’Autremont, that change will require the following changes: 

  • New gym floors and scoreboard.  
  • Painting across the campus.  
  • Team uniforms.  
  • School apparel.  
  • Logos and branding. 

At a recent governing board meeting, board member Joe Messina tasked district staff with determining how much it will cost to make those changes. 

“I think we stop all of this until we get a budget and dollar amount on what we’ve spent so we know what we’re getting ourselves into,” Messina said. 

According to Ralph Peschek, the Hart district’s assistant superintendent of business services, there has been money set aside for these changes, but that money was based on estimates and previous expenditures for similar projects. 

California became the first state in the country to ban the use of “Redskins” as a nickname or mascot in 2015 when then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 30, the first iteration of the California Racial Mascots Act, into law. That law required public schools to remove “Redskins” as a mascot or nickname by Jan. 1, 2017. 

Schiavo’s bill adds on to that, including “Apaches, Big Reds, Braves, Chiefs, Chieftains, Chippewa, Comanches, Indians, Savages, Squaw, and Tribe” as derogatory terms that would not be allowed. 

Schools that currently use one of those terms as a nickname or mascot would be allowed to continue to use uniforms or other materials bearing that name so long as those were purchased prior to July 1, 2026. For that to be the case, however, schools must: select a new mascot; refrain from purchasing or acquiring new uniforms or other material (yearbooks, newspapers, etc.) using a derogatory term; and refrain from purchasing or constructing marquees, signs or other fixtures using a derogatory term. 

Should school districts be forced to make purchases due to this bill, the state is required to reimburse districts for certain costs. 

This is not the first time that the Legislature has tried to impose such a ban on school nicknames and mascots. Between 2002 and 2005, former Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles, introduced several bills attempting to prohibit the use of Native American terms as mascots or nicknames. She eventually pushed two bills through the Legislature to only ban the use of “Redskins,” but both were vetoed by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Schiavo’s bill has registered support from the American Civil Liberties Union California Action, the Cahuilla Band Indians, the California Federation of Teachers, the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and the Tule River Tribe. 

There is no registered opposition to the bill. 

2 thoughts on “Dem Schiavo bill seeks to ban ‘derogatory’ Native American school mascots 

  1. There is no registered opposition to this bill because no one wants to be labeled a discriminating bigot. Politicians in Sacramento like getting involved in emotional issues because they can pretend they are doing something important while ignoring what they are supposed to be doing, fixing the ails of the State. And look at all the money that will be spent for no legitimate reason. Read “Personal Opinions of One Common Man” due out soon.

  2. The bill is racist as it singles out only one group to protect. Carried to its logical conclusion I now feel that a team named the Fighting Irish must be an insult to my clan and needs to be changed. The label of Native American is also a problem when used to label only USA tribes as American applied to South, Central and North America. The lawsuits this bill will cause should be fun !

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