Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Subscriber Login
My Profile
SpotlightNews
  • Home
  • News
    • Election 2022
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime and Police
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Fire Departments
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Obituaries
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Food and Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
    • New Scotland
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Election 2022
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime and Police
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Fire Departments
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Obituaries
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Food and Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
    • New Scotland
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Spotlight News
No Result
View All Result
Home Towns Albany County

Schools ordered to drop ‘Indian’ mascots

Michael Hallisey by Michael Hallisey
November 23, 2022
in Albany County, News, Schools, Towns
Reading Time: 2 mins read
DCIM100MEDIADJI_0099.JPG

DCIM100MEDIADJI_0099.JPG

ALBANY — New York public schools still sporting “Native American symbols or depictions” have been ordered to retire their mascots by the end of the next school year following a court ruling that decided against one school that sued to keep theirs.

Cambridge Central School District is one of approximately 60 school districts in New York that has kept its “Indians” mascot despite a 2001 state education department memorandum ordering schools to drop the offensive name.

“Those school districts that continue to utilize Native American team names, logos, and/or imagery without current approval from a recognized tribe must immediately come into compliance,” stated James N. Baldwin, Senior Deputy Commissioner, in a statement shared on Thursday, Nov. 17. “Should they require guidance, districts may reach out to those districts that successfully retired their mascots or their local Board of Cooperative Education Services.”

Ravena Coeymans Selkirk is among those school districts that have continued to carry the Indians name. The image of an arrowhead affixed to a spear is depicted on both the football team’s helmet and playing field.

Baldwin said the department is developing regulations and said that should a district fail to commit to replacing its team name, logo, and imagery by the end of the 2022-23 school year, the punishment could include the removal of school officers and the withholding of State Aid.

The Cambridge school district had voted to remove the name in 2020, only to have to decision reversed the following year by newly elected members on the board who didn’t agree with the measure. Community members balked, appealing to the Commissioner of Education under Education Law.

When the commissioner ruled against Cambridge, the school district appealed to the state Supreme Court which affirmed the determination in June. The court stated that the continued use of the ‘Indians’ nickname and imagery was an “abuse of discretion.”

In 2001, former Commissioner of Education Richard P. Mills issued a memorandum “conclud[ing] that the use of Native American symbols or depictions as mascots can become a barrier to building a safe and nurturing school community and improving academic achievement for all students.”

The recent decision cited the Dignity for All Students Act, prohibiting “the creation of a hostile environment … that … reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause … emotional harm to a student,” a condition that could be created through the use of Native American mascots.

“Schools are learning environments; students learn as much through observation of their surroundings as they do from direct instruction,” Baldwin stated. “In addition to their legal obligations, boards of education that continue to utilize Native American mascots must reflect upon the message their choices convey to students, parents, and their communities.”

The education department included additional studies and literature arguing that the continued use of Native American mascots, often portrayed based on stereotypes, was harmful to both Native and non-Native Americans.

“Thus, the court’s decision establishes that public school districts are prohibited from utilizing Native American mascots,” Baldwin stated. “Arguments that community members support the use of such imagery or that it is ‘respectful’ to Native Americans are no longer tenable.”

Tags: albanyeducationmascotsschoolssports
ShareTweetShareShare
Previous Post

Five Questions with Will Brown

Next Post

Local community leaders organize for another season of giving

Stay Connected with Us

Recent News

Albany Wine and Dine for the Arts returns to in-person experiences

January 25, 2023

South Colonie transportation department drives home kindness

January 25, 2023

North Colonie Welcomes Its New Assistant Superintendent Naté Turner-Hassell

January 25, 2023

Bethlehem CSD to launch new online student safety tool

January 25, 2023

Hot Stories This Week

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

St. Peter’s opens baby café in Albany

January 20, 2023
Second Assistant Chief Patrick Boccio demonstrates how tight of a squeeze it is to get trucks in and out of Stanford Heights Fire Department while Chairman of the Board of Commissioner Kevin Hulett watches.  
Jim Franco/Spotlight News

Multiple major fires and a power outage in Colonie over 24 hours

January 22, 2023
Thelma Street house where raid took place.

Chinese citizen arrested after Thelma Street raid

January 19, 2023

Two men arrested at the Albany County Jail

January 18, 2023

Albany Wine and Dine for the Arts returns to in-person experiences

January 25, 2023

South Colonie transportation department drives home kindness

January 25, 2023

North Colonie Welcomes Its New Assistant Superintendent Naté Turner-Hassell

January 25, 2023

Bethlehem CSD to launch new online student safety tool

January 25, 2023
Spotlight News

Spotlight News, The Spot 518 and Capital District Family Now are divisions of Community Media Group, LLC. Our local offices are located at 341 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054. You can contact us at 518.439.4949.

Browse

Follow Us

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact the Editor
  • Employment
  • Our Team
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2022 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Election 2022
  • News
    • Crime and Police
    • Fire Departments
    • Milestones
    • Real Estate and Housing
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Spotlight On Business
    • Spotlight on Finance
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Theatre
    • Music
    • Food and Drink
    • Health & Fitness
  • Hot Spots Calendar
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Opinion
  • Classifieds
    • Advertiser Login
    • Service Directory
    • Hire Power – Employer Spotlight
  • Capital District Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
  • Log In
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949