Change Alvarado Independent School District's Indian Mascot
Change Alvarado Independent School District's Indian Mascot
The mission statement and core values of Alvarado Independent School District is built on the ideology to inspire and empower through excellence in a respectful environment. Alvarado’s school district has failed to meet these standards by preserving the derogatory Indian mascot in spite of America’s revitalized awakening to systemic racism.
In 2001, The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights stated, “…Native mascots open the school and/or sports team to culturally inappropriate, abusive, and hateful actions from visitors and opposing teams …the continued use of Native American and/or indigenous mascots by non-native institutions remains a violation of civil rights consistent with the Commission’s findings in 2001 and inflicts harm upon the whole of the native community…”
In 2005, The American Psychological Association adopted a resolution stating, “…the continued use of American Indian mascots, symbols, images, and personalities undermines the educational experiences of members of all communities-especially those who have had little or no contact with Indigenous peoples…the continued use of American Indian mascots, symbols, images, and personalities undermines the ability of American Indian Nations to portray accurate and respectful images of their culture, spirituality, and traditions…the continued use of American Indian mascots, symbols, images, and personalities presents stereotypical images of American Indian communities, that may be a violation of the civil rights of American Indian people…”
In 2013, The National Congress of American Indians stated, “The use of racist and derogatory “Indian” sports mascots, logos, or symbols, is harmful and perpetuates negative stereotypes of America’s first peoples. Specifically, rather than honoring Native peoples, these caricatures and stereotypes contribute to a disregard for the personhood of Native peoples.”
In 2010, the Texas State Historical Association published information on the history of Johnson County stating, “No permanent Indian villages existed in what is now Johnson County, though Indians, including Tonkawas, Kickapoos, Anadarkos, Caddos, and Wacos, hunted in the area. In 1851 the Caddo Indians led an uprising that forced many of the early settlers to abandon their homes, most of which were subsequently burned. No other serious Indian conflicts occurred.” While the information above verifies the presence of American Indians in Johnson County’s history, it should not serve as a reason for the Alvarado School District to uphold the Indian mascot due to the lack of knowledge students receive about American Indian history and culture, Alvarado’s inaction to collaborate with American Indian tribes and nations, and for the harmful image and stereotypes that are perpetuated through the portrayal of the Alvarado School District’s Indian mascot.
If the Alvarado Independent School District wishes to honor their core values of respect and excellence, they should acknowledge the damage that the Indian mascot inflicts upon American Indian tribes and nations and their own. By signing this petition, you are supporting the advancement of creating an equitable school and community environment at Alvarado and are contributing to the nationwide effort to abolish the use of American Indian mascots.
Sources
https://www.usccr.gov/files/2021/03-15-NE-Native-Mascot-Briefing.pdf
https://www.apa.org/pi/oema/resources/policy/indian-mascots.pdf
https://www.johnsoncountytx.org/government/history-of-johnson-county
To learn more about the use of American Indian mascots through research, stories, and testimonies, click on one of the links below:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/22/us/native-american-sports-logos.html
https://www.ncai.org/proudtobe
https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/files/2015/12/81326-SchoolEnvir.-394-260.pdf