WEST BEND – Results are in for the Preps On The Net question of the week.

Last week the question was posted

“Should schools with Indian nicknames be forced to change their name to a more politically correct one?”

According to an informal poll, 8 percent of respondents voted in favor of a change, 89 percent were against and 2 percent were undecided.

There are 39 high schools in Wisconsin with Indian nicknames.

Lawmakers in Madison are working to pass legislation to end the use of race-based names, nicknames, logos, or mascots by filing a complaint with the state superintendent of public instruction.

If the legislation is passed and a school does not make the change within 12 months then “a school board is subject to a forfeiture of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 for each day that it uses the race-based name, nickname, logo, or mascot in violation of the order.”

Early indications are the Assembly and Senate will vote on the Indian nickname legislation in August.

OPPONENTS FEEL INDIAN REFERENCES ARE OFFENSIVE…

Since 1991, 25 Wisconsin schools have eliminated Indian mascots or nicknames.

One of the most significant changes occurred at the college level when Marquette University changed from Warriors to Golden Eagles.

Opponents of Native American mascots take offense, saying the mascots breed insensitivity and misunderstanding about native people.

In March, the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin spoke out in favor of AB 35 and SB 25.

The ACLU said the use of discriminatory mascots should be challenged. Their reasons include the public school requirement to provide all students with an adequate, nondiscriminatory education.

The ACLU also said there “should be a fair and adequate process for the Department of Public Instruction to review complaints from community members about race-based mascots” and they felts eliminating mascots based in racial stereotypes would be “a positive step toward equality and an embrace of good sportsmanship, respect for others and fair play.”

ADVOCATES SUPPORT INDIAN MASCOTS…

Advocates in favor of retaining Indian mascots, logos and nicknames say the image of a Chief or Indian is not derogatory. Supporters in favor of maintaining names like Braves and Blackhawks said they felt the teams and schools were honoring, not denigrating, American Indians.

In Kewaskum, parent and concerned citizen Irv Haugen is working to fight the change. “I just think this is wrong. The whole principle is flawed,” said Haugen, an avid supporter of the high school team the Indians.

Haugen and a small group of concerned parents are working to contact the other 38 schools in the state along with lawmakers, asking for their support. “We hear about other school districts who are adamant and say they’re not going to let this (changing the nickname) happen, but they’re not really active or doing any petitions,” said Haugen. “We’re trying to get people active and turn the tide.”

In Kewaskum the school board has yet to make an official statement, however Haugen said when the school orders uniforms they refrain from putting an Indian headdress or logo on the items. “As far as what we’ve been told, the school district is not changing the Indian nickname at this point in time because there’s no legislation saying they have to.”