More On Native American Mascots & Oregon High Schools

Via Blue Oregon, a story came out in the Oregonian today. It looks like a pretty good overview of what's going on, but it's missing on thing that I would really like to see: the content (or at least a summary of it) of the presentation that Che Butler gave in favor of eliminating Native mascots and logos. Without that, it's easy for onlooker to fill in the gap with "I don't see what's wrong with this."

While I am in favor of high schools not using Native mascots or logos, I am also in favor of good process, and one of the parts of good process is the inclusion of all affected voices. Thus far, that hasn't happened, but the O story makes it sound like it will. I hope it does:

After months of closed meetings, an advisory panel recommended banning Native-themed mascots...

The panel's report cites the "importance of respecting the cultures and sacred symbols of all peoples" and the "harmful effects of racial stereotyping in the social identity and development and self-esteem of (Native) American young people."

But Oregon schools with Native American mascots complained they were not consulted.

"I think we're being invited in after the fact as a kind of courtesy," says Craig Brewington , superintendent of the district that includes Warrenton High, whose mascot is a warrior...

Top state officials are trying to calm the waters, saying a lot more discussion must take place before a final decision is reached. Fans of the Warriors and other Native-themed teams will be listened to, they say.

Castillo will decide the issue, although she has no deadline, says Pat Burk, chief policy officer, who will lead today's meeting. Scheduled to last four hours, it is billed as a conversation in which affected schools can express "concerns, barriers and suggestions."

Could go either way, really, though if Castillo decides to order the removal of the mascots without first earning some buy-in from the affected school, I guarantee the students, staff, parents, and communities who will have to live with the change are going to be very, very upset.