A new Republican proposal in the state Legislature would make it more difficult for residents in school districts to file complaints against Wisconsin schools that use Native American mascots.
State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and several other Republican legislators announced the proposal Thursday.
The new proposal would require any complaint against a school that uses a Native American mascot to include a petition signed by adult residents of the school district totaling at least 10 percent of the school district’s total enrollment 120 days before submission instead of the previous rule, allowing any individual to file a complaint, according to a release from the legislators.
Mukwonago school district “strongly supports” the proposal. The high school currently uses “Indians” as its nickname.
When the Indians nickname and mascot law was originally passed, the Department of Public Instruction ordered the school to change its nickname and logo, or face a severe fine. The school responded by passing a resolution defying the order.
If the new proposal were passed, a complainant would need to obtain approximately 470 signatures before submitting the complaint to the Mukwonago district. The proposal would also change the current law and require the Department of Administration’s Division of Hearing and Appeals to conduct the hearings instead of DPI, shifting control of the hearings to Gov. Scott Walker’s administration.
Current law also requires school districts to prove the names and logos do not promote discrimination, pupil harassment or stereotyping. The proposal would shift the responsibility of gathering evidence to the complainant.
The Legislature will consider the proposal within the coming weeks.
