Native Americans have been present in North America for centuries before the establishment of the US.  In fact, the land that Mohonasen rests on belonged specifically to the Mohican people.

Mohonasen's name is a tribute to the other Native groups that lived in the region, and they claim it is a form of Native representation.  However, Mohonasen's mascot, a group of three Native Americans or "warriors", has failed to properly represent the diversity of indigenous groups within the country.  Instead of asking the Native community how to properly represent their people or avoiding the issue entirely by not displaying them at all, Mohonasen has chosen to use a Native American caricature to "represent" their culture.  

And while the way that Mohonasen attempts to portray the Natives is not overtly racist, it is problematic. 

The history of Native Americans is not a pleasant one.  Before their introduction to European settlers, Native American populations were predicted to be around 100 million, now only 7 million remain today.  Native Americans were enslaved, killed, separated from their native lands, and forced to assimilate to American standards in order to survive.  Even present-day reservations fail to bring adequate resources to the people who preserved North America for centuries.  They were not treated as human beings and some people remain ignorant to that fact.  Continuing to represent them as something to be put on school merchandise and sites not only dehumanizes them but also disregards the original goal of representation.

After reading all of this, some may ask the question, "who cares?"  Well, while Mohonasen lacks a large Native population, census trends show that the Native population has been growing.  What will happen if a Native family decided to move to Mohonasen?  It is very apparent that Natives are on Mohonasen's website and while it may not impact Mohonasen's 99.53% non-Native population, Mohonasen has clubs and a school policy that attempts to create an inclusive environment free from discrimination, prejudice, and harassment.

It has been shown that Native American mascots bring down the self-esteem of Native children, enable non-Native children to partake in racist Native stereotypes, and create a hostile learning environment for Native children.  If Mohonasen wants to sincerely represent Native Americans, why must they do it with a Native caricature?  We have many wonderful and qualified history teachers who are fit to do the job.  Why not advocate for Natives in a way that fits with your code of conduct?

Of course, you are not obligated to agree, and Mohonasen may not change its mascot.  However, in a world where we are constantly moving forward, why should we hold on to stereotypes of the past?