After years of unsuccessfully persuading some North Carolina schools to drop their American Indian mascots, a state lawmaker is now trying to make the change through the legislative power of the state.
The “ Ending Offensive Indian Mascots” bill filed on Tuesday would give North Carolina K-12 public schools a two-year deadline to end the use of American Indian mascots or risk losing part of their state funding. The latest state report shows 34 schools have an American Indian themed mascot or logo.
House Bill 655 was sponsored by Rep. Jarrod Lowery, a Robeson County Republican and a member of the Lumbee Tribe. Lowery is the only Native American legislator in the General Assembly…