AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Legislature took a first step on Tuesday toward banning the use of Native American names, imagery and mascots in Maine public schools amid a long-standing controversy over the Skowhegan Indians nickname.
The bill from Rep. Ben Collings, D-Portland, is aimed at Skowhegan, the last Maine high school to maintain Native American imagery relating to a mascot. After years of debate, the school board voted last month to get rid of it, though the district could hold a non-binding referendum to restore “Indians” as school team names and the mascot.
The vote came immediately after an impassioned speech by Rena Newell, a non-voting tribal representative for the Passamaquoddy Tribe from Pleasant Point, who said “I am not a mascot” after questioning why the matter was up for debate.
“It is our collective responsibility to the next generations to promote each other as equals, as individuals, and more importantly, as neighbors,” she said.
Skowhegan’s name has lived on in the face of a debate led by members of the Penobscot Nation. Maulian Dana, the tribe’s ambassador, said in March testimony on the bill that the use of such mascots “is harmful and adds to the intergenerational trauma of indigenous people.”
The only two Republicans to vote for the bill were Reps. Tom Martin of Greene, who is married to a Penobscot woman and spoke in favor of the bill, and Patrick Corey of Windham. The administration of Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, released a March guidance urging schools to “refrain” from using mascots and logos depicting Native American tribes and customs.
Rep. Joel Stetkis, R-Canaan, called it “suppression of free speech.” Rep. Betty Austin, D-Skowhegan, the only Democrat to oppose the bill, said it was “directly targeted” at her town.
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This article originally appeared on www.bangordailynews.com.
