1 in 36 secondary schools in Mississippi have mascots that depict harmful Native American stereotypes. Deloria Many Grey Horses, A Native American woman, has been pushing petitions to change the Biloxi High School mascot since 2015. However, nothing had been changed.

I , A Biloxi High band student, have been forced to appropriate Native American culture in the spirit of “school pride” changing the mascot would not only be more ethically beneficial, but in price aswell.

A Biloxi High band member has to spend $100 on a Native American “headdress” which is very easily damaged. Every student has to have their own. If the band used their own shakos (which they already have) the students band expenses would decrease by about half. Saving the pockets of hundreds of parents in the district.

I talked to several Biloxi Highschool students who came from completely different home, ethnic, and political backgrounds. All of the students wished to remain anonymous in order to avoid backlash from peers.

One student, a member of the Biloxi Sound Surge said, “I do believe that our Native American mascot is harmful. As I white person i think it’s important we acknowledge that we are actively participating in the harmful stereotyping of indigenous peoples as war hungry savages”

Another student, part of the Biloxi High Band stated “It feels disgusting walking onto the football field. Especially away games. It’s like everyone is judging you. And they are. The band specifically gets credited with being the “most racist” among our peers from different schools. Truth is, we hate doing it. We hate wearing the headdress. We hate being called the “Indians” when we take field position. We hate the arrow head symbols. It hurts every single one of us to our core. We know it’s wrong. And we know we’re participating in it.”