And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
From: "ROBERT L MUNSON" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
TEACH RESPECT - NOT RACISM
Action Alert!!
Urge your senator to be the author of a Senate companion bill to
Representative Frank Boyle s legislative intiative - a step toward the goal
of eliminating ethnic stereotyping from our public schools. We cannot get
this bill passed in the Assembly Education Committee our only hope is to
get it to a Senate Hearing. Frank also needs Assembly Representatives to
sign on to the Assembly bill.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Current law prohibits discrimination against pupils on a number of grounds,
including race and ancestry. This bill provides that a school district
resident may object to a school board s use of an ethnic name, nickname,
logo or mascot by filing a complaint with the state superintendent of
public instruction (state superintendent). The state superintendent must
schedule a hearing on the complaint, at which the school board has the
burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that the use of the
ethnic name, nickname, logo or mascot does not promote discrimination,
pupil harassment or stereotyping. If the state superintendent finds in
favor of the complainant, the state superintendent must order the school
board to terminate its use of the ethnic name, nickname, logo or mascot
within twelve months after issuance of the order. A school board is subject
to a forfeiture of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 for each day
that it uses the ethnic name, nickname, logo or mascot in violation of the
order. The decision of the state superintendent is subject to circuit court
review.
Talking Points:
Under current law discrimination complaints can be filed - this law affords
due process to complainants.
The bill has the support of the Department of Public
Instruction.
Wisconsin Indian leaders are on the cutting edge of the issue of
eliminating "Indian" mascots and logos nationwide - The Wisconsin
legislature is in a position to take similar leadership and to work
together with Wisconsin Indian tribes in a spirit of Inter-cultural
harmony. The Wisconsin Indian Education Association "Indian" Mascot and
Logo Taskforce will stay with the issue until all "Indian"
mascots/logos/nicknames are eliminated from Wisconsin public schools.
Great Lakes Inter Tribal Council (GLITC) adopted a
resolution in January of this year calling for the
elimination of "Indian" mascots and logos by the dawn of the new millenium.
The Youth Indian Mascot and Logo Task Force (a consortium of Indian and
non-Indian high school and college students will continue to keep the issue
alive in the state of Wisconsin until all "Indian" mascots/logos/nicknames
are eliminated from the public schools. The issue will not go away.
Model Letter to Senators from WIEA "Indian" Mascot and Logo Taskforce:
Senator , District
P.O. Box 7882
Madison, WI 53707- 7882
Dear Senator ,
The Wisconsin Indian Education Association "Indian" Mascot and Logo
Taskforce has repeatedly called for the removal of stereotypical depictions
of Indian people from school environments. Forty-two Wisconsin public
school districts still have "Indian" logos and team names. Discrimination
complaints under current 118.13 statues divide local communities and
heighten cultural misunderstandings. In Milton and Mukwonago, after much
harassment, the Indian complainants were forced out of the communities
where the "Redmen" and "Indian" symbols remain. In Menomonie the community
was so divided that school board members were recalled for supporting the
student council s desire to remove their generic "Indian" mascot. In
January of this year The Great Lakes Inter Tribal Council (GLITC) adopted a
resolution opposing the continued use of these derogatory symbols in our
tax-payer supported schools. Wisconsin Indian people could not more clearly
state their opposition to this practice that affects our cultures and
maintains a breeding ground for racism within our state s educational
facilities. Please be a good neighbor and help us to free all Wisconsin
school children from forced exposure to a form of racism in our public
schools. Make our schools a safe place for learning to occur. Far from
going away, opposition to the use of "Indian" mascots, logos and nicknames
in the schools is gaining momentum across the nation. In addition to the
bill already introduced in our state, legislation is pending in California
and New York. Wisconsin Indian educators and Wisconsin tribes are leading
the nation in working toward eradicating this form of institutionalized
racism. The time has come for our state legislature to stand with Wisconsin
Indian people and take its place on the cutting edge of inevitable change.
Now is the time for the inspiring progressive national leadership that
Wisconsin is uniquely ready to provide because its Indian nations and its
legislature are both strong and ready to work together. We need your help.
A bill written by representative Frank Boyle in consultation with the
Department of Public Instruction would help to free all our children from
symbolic racism in the schools. Even before its introduction, Assembly
Education Committee Chairperson, Steven Nass stated that he would quash the
bill. In order to get a fair hearing it is necessary that the measure be
introduced and submitted to the Senate Education Committee. Please consider
being the author of the companion bill.
To provide an update I am sending you copies of Appeal 2000, our current
position paper, and the GLITC Resolution. Please advise me of your intended
action in regard to this bill and if you need further background
information please let me know.
Thank you for your time and attention,
Sent to: James Baumgart, Roger Breske, Brian Burke (endorsed last years
bill), Charles Chvala, Alice Clausing, Robert Cowles, Alberta Darling,
Russell Decker, Jon Erpenback (Verona School District), Gary George
(Senator on the American Indian Studies Committee), Richard Grobschmidt
(Chair of the Senate Education Committee), Robert Jauch, Rodney Moen,
Gwendolynne Moore (Senate author of last year s companion bill), Kimberly
Plache, Fred Riiser (Senate Majority Leader), Kevin Shibilski, Robert Wirch.
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Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
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