S moke S ignals
JUNE 1, 2017
13
Education Board OKs Grand Ronde-Molalla mascot agreement
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
WOODBURN — The Oregon
Board of Education approved the
third Native American mascot
agreement between the Confeder-
ated Tribes of Grand Ronde and a
school district during its Thursday,
May 25, meeting held at the Wood-
burn School District.
The board signed off on the Tribe’s
agreement with the Molalla River
School District, which is changing
its logo to a bear and coyote among
mountain-side trees in an effort to
retain its Indians mascot name.
Tribal Council approved the
agreement on March 22 and then
it had to be sent to the state Board
of Education for approval before it
becomes binding.
The Education Board approved the
Tribe’s agreement with the Banks
School District on March 23 and
OK’d the agreement with the Scap-
poose School District on April 27.
The approved 10-year agreement
will be reviewed annually for the
first five years and again during
the ninth year by the two parties.
It requires the Molalla River School
District to use the Grand Ronde
Tribe’s fourth- and eighth-grade
history curriculums and create a
Native Club for high school stu-
dents who want to participate.
Molalla River started using the
Tribe’s fourth-grade curriculum in
2015 and agreed to start using the
eighth-grade lessons by this spring.
In 2012, the Oregon Board of Edu-
cation adopted a rule that prohibited
public schools from using Native
American mascots on or after July
1, 2017. However, the Oregon Legis-
lature became involved in 2014 and
mandated exceptions to the outright
ban that allow school districts to
enter into agreements with one of
Social Services has bike helmets
The Tribe’s Social Services Department has bicycle helmets available
for distribution. Those needing a helmet should visit the department and
sign a helmet application, as well as get fitted.
For more information, contact Social Services at 503-879-2034.
Police Department
handing out safety awards
Grand Ronde children who wear a helmet while riding their bicy-
cles may receive a safety award if they are seen by members of the
Grand Ronde Tribal Police Department.
Lt. Tim Hernandez said Tribal police will start handing out the
safety awards immediately to community children found wearing
their bicycle helmets on a consistent basis.
The safety award is actually a coupon for a free ice cream at
Grand Ronde Station near Spirit Mountain Casino on Highway 18
or at Grand Ronde Market at the corner of Grand Ronde Road and
Highway 18.
Hernandez said the Tribal Housing Department donated $300 to
fund the effort.
“The stores are looking into asking their vendors if they would like
to participate,” Hernandez said. “We also have our officers donating
to the cause as well.”
For more information about the program, contact Hernandez at
503-879-1824.
AMERICAN INDIAN TEACHER PROGRAM
the nine federally recognized Native
American Tribes in Oregon to use a
more culturally appropriate Native
mascot that is associated with or is
significant to the Tribe.
School districts that do not enter
into approved agreements by July
1 will have to cease using their Na-
tive mascots per the original intent
of the Education Board’s ban.
Cindy Hunt, Department of Ed-
ucation Government and Legal
Affairs manager, said in a previous
meeting that the department was
aware of 16 school districts in Ore-
gon using Native American mascots.
So far, she said, eight have entered
into or are negotiating agreements
with an Oregon Tribe, five have
changed their mascots to something
not related to Native Americans,
and three have unknown plans.
For instance, the Marcola School
District northeast of Eugene voted
to change its Native American mas-
cot to the Mustangs to comply with
the board rule.
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno testified that the agreement
with the Molalla River School Dis-
trict is special to the Grand Ronde
Tribe because the Molalla are one
of the five prominent Tribes in the
Grand Ronde confederation.
“It’s one of the feathers on our
medallions,” Leno said. “It’s a very
special one. It’s one we felt that
needed to really make sure we have
it correct and now the special thing
is that they will actually be able to
teach our history and our culture
right there at that school. I would
just like to thank the board for their
understanding that this is really
important to Grand Ronde to have
accomplished this one.”
Molalla River Superintendent
Tony Mann testified that the school
district and larger community are
grateful for the commitment to
“teach the truth” regarding Native
American history in Oregon.
“It’s a learning opportunity that
the community is chomping at the
bit to understand more deeply,”
Mann said. “I see this as a huge
opportunity to move a majority
white community forward in their
own understanding of the history
of the Native people.”
During the same meeting, the
Board of Education approved an
agreement between the Douglas
County School District in Roseburg
and the Cow Creek Band of the
Umpqua Tribe of Indians and held
a first reading regarding an agree-
ment between the Rogue River
School District and the Confederat-
ed Tribes of Siletz Indians.
WALK-IN DENTAL APPOI NTMENTS FOR KIDS <6
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY FOR DENTAL CHECK-UPS FOR KIDS 5 AND
UNDER WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE SEEN AT THE TRIBAL CLINIC.
JUST COME ON IN!
We will check your child’s teeth during any of our clinic hours without an ap-
pointment. Dental check-ups are recommended beginning with the first
tooth!
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Dental Clinic
Phone 503-879-2020
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri 8:00—5:00; Thur 9:30-5:30