Six Colorado school districts, representing 12 schools across the state, are still out of compliance with Senate Bill 21-116, which prohibits the use of Native American mascots, according to the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs.
The bill was signed into law by Colorado Governor Jared Polis last summer and requires any public schools, charter schools, and public institutions of higher education using Native American imagery in their mascots, to choose a new mascot by June 1, 2022.
Any schools that are still out of compliance by the deadline will be required to pay a $25,000 monthly fine, until the mascots are changed.
According to the commission's website, the bill does not apply to:
- "Schools that have agreements between a federally recognized Indian Tribes; or
- Any public school that is operated by a Tribe or with the approval of a Tribe and existing within the boundaries of the Tribe's reservation."
In a meeting with the commission last week, representatives for Kiowa High School in Elbert County presented approval from the Kiowa Tribe to keep the "Kiowa Indians" mascot. They also announced a plan to introduce a Native American history graduation requirement for their students.
The commission will be meeting in May, to review other proposed mascots. A full list of "out-of-compliance" schools can be found, here.
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