Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2016)
JULY 1, 2016 S moke S ignals 5 Banks School Board approves mascot agreement with Tribe By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor The Banks School Board unan- imously approved an agreement with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde on Wednesday, June 15, and took the first step in retain- ing the district’s longtime “Braves” mascot by eventually phasing out the use of a Native American profile as its current image. The five-year agreement now will have to be approved by the Grand Ronde Tribal Council and be sub- mitted to the Oregon Board of Ed- ucation before it becomes effective. “We are happy we are now in a place where we can enter into a partnership and look forward to great things,” School Board Pres- ident Raymond Mott said about negotiations between the Tribe and school district that started in December. The Banks School District be- comes the first in Oregon to take advantage of exceptions created by the Oregon Board of Education to its ban on Native mascot use. The exceptions allow some school districts in Oregon to keep their Native American mascots as long as they consummate collaborative agreements with a federally recog- nized Tribe. The Banks-Grand Ronde agree- ment requires the district to modify its current mascot image to ensure that it is culturally appropriate with input from the Grand Ronde Tribe’s Culture Department. The new image and use of the name “Braves” will be allowed as a sports mascot, on all sports equipment and facilities, and used in “school spirit” related merchandise, the agreement states. Only the new agreed-upon mas- cot image will be used on products purchased by the district after the on campus that will need to be replaced or eliminated. Harrelson also briefed board members and the approximately two dozen people in attendance on the Tribe’s historical con- nection to the Banks area. Banks is within the tra- ditional homelands of the Tualatin Kalapuya and sits along an old Indian trail that stretches from western Washington Coun- ty to Tillamook Bay. The Tualatin Kalapuyan peo- ple had numerous villages Photo by Dean Rhodes in what is now Washing- Tribal Council Chairman Reyn Leno speaks at the Banks School Board meeting held on ton County with a concen- Wednesday, June 15, about the agreement between the Grand Ronde Tribe and the tration of winter villages school district regarding its continued use of a Native American mascot. Listening are, in Patton Valley south of seated from left, Superintendent Jeff Leo and School Board members Norie Dimeo- Banks. Ediger, Laurie Schlegel, James Harris, Todd Iverson and Chairman Raymond Mott. The agreement states that the Grand Ronde Tribe’s goals are to build respect Superintendent Jeff Leo said and understanding of the Tribe’s the district is happy to incorporate history and culture, give all youth the Tribal curriculum because the the opportunity to learn the Tribe’s current curriculum is “outdated.” curriculum and to foster culturally The agreement also requires respectful representation of Native that a school principal, coach or American symbolism and pride. other responsible official take all The district’s goals are to foster reasonable measures to ensure respect and informed understand- that coaches, players, students and ing of the Tribe and other Native supporters maintain a “respectful Americans, and to adopt a cultur- attitude” toward Native mascots ally appropriate mascot. during sporting events. Graphic created by George Valdez “This was a very serious issue “If the school principal, coach or for our Tribe,” Leno said. “Some other responsible official of Banks had different opinions on it. We High School witnesses or is aware effective date of the agreement acknowledged everybody’s opinion of derogatory and/or unsportsman- and the district has five years to on it, but our Tribal Council said, like language or activities involving phase out use of the old, culturally “Which one is it? Is it the mascot the Braves mascot, the school will inappropriate mascot image on uni- that is the important issue or is it file a written notice with the OSAA forms, signs and equipment. education?’ Our council stepped up (Oregon School Activities Associa- In addition, the Banks School and said education is a huge issue tion) in accordance with their rules District agreed to start using a for us. We believe it’s a way out for regarding violation of regulations, Grand Ronde Tribe-created Native our kids and into the bigger world. seeking penalization of the offend- curriculum no later than spring Education is very important for us ing school,” the agreement states. 2017 and to sponsor a Native Club so we said education is it.” The agreement can be terminated for students in sixth through 12th Leno said that he did not see po- by either party. If the Tribe ends grades. litical promises of getting education the relationship, the district will about Oregon’s Tribes into the pub- have 12 months in which to stop us- lic school system being fulfilled, so ing a Native mascot and the Braves the Tribe decided to create its own name. If the district terminates, it curriculum. must stop using the mascot and “If you live in Oregon, you should name immediately. know the true history of the Ore- “I don’t anticipate that,” Leo said. gon Tribes,” Leno said. “I’ve said it Tribal Council Chairman Reyn several times, but if you have the Leno, Tribal Council member Ton- real history of the Oregon Tribes ya Gleason-Shepek, Tribal Attorney out there, then maybe in five or 10 Rob Greene, Historic Preservation years we won’t have a mascot issue. Department Manager David Har- People will learn to respect and relson, Tribal Council Chief of Staff know what we traditionally do.” Stacia Martin and Public Affairs Leno added that he has eight Administrative Assistant Chelsea grandchildren in public schools Clark attended the meeting. and knows that every dollar is Leo, in his first year on the job important. “Every dollar that goes after leading the schools in Nappa, to education needs to be spent on said 3 percent of the district’s ap- education, not signs or things on proximately 1,100 students identify the wall or whatever,” he said. “We as Native American. know this will be successful and He said the school’s Braves mas- hopefully we can look back and cot has been used for about 85 years say we took that first step toward and is important to the community. educating Oregonians.” He said the cost of phasing out the At the end of the meeting, Banks old mascot in favor of a Tribally ap- School Board members gifted Trib- proved, more culturally appropriate al representatives with baskets mascot will be about $80,000 over that included Banks Braves base- five years. ball caps, huckleberry jam and The district already has painted huckleberry-flavored chocolate, the gym walls white and is prepar- among other items. ing to replace the Native America “It’s been a lengthy process,” Leo profile in the middle of the gym said. “But it’s been worth it. I want floor. “As I said in an e-mail to a to thank the Grand Ronde Tribal bunch of our coaches, we have a Council, which has been willing blank canvas now,” Leo said. He to work with us through this pro- estimated there are as many as cess.” 400 depictions of a brave’s profile
