Connecticut schools could lose tribal casino revenue over horribly offensive mascots

Schools that use Native American nicknames and mascots could lose out on revenue generated by local casinos

Schools that use Native American nicknames and mascots could turn a loss out on revenue generated by local casinos.

On Tuesday, senators passed a budget peak that would gelded schools turned from the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Fund, which creates educational activity revenue from the state’s tribal-run casinos.

According to the bill, money would follow withheld if schools usage Native American branding without having permission for their use.

This includes any names, symbols or images that come to to a Native American tribe, custom, single or tradition, such as mascots, nicknames, school day logos or squad names.

State Senator Cathy Osten sponsored the invoice and said: “Towns around this res publica have got been told year after twelvemonth past Connecticut’s Native American tribes that their nicknames and mascots are horribly offensive.

“If certain cities and towns won’t listen to their dude citizens, they put up certainly do without the tribal money they are showing such disrespect toward.”

In a articulatio statement, the Mashantucket Pequots and Eastern Pequot Tribal Carry Amelia Moore Nation said a wide-ranging appropriation of Native American civilization put up cause “lasting harm for tribal nations and their citizens.”

Several schools in Connecticut River currently employment names or mascots relating to Native tribes, although some get changed their name, like the Manchester Indians changing its name to Red River Hawks after a educatee military campaign inward 2019.

A high-profile object lesson also exists inward the National Football League, where the Booker Taliaferro Washington Redskins was renamed to the American capital Football Team.

The invoice is yet to live passed by Hartford’s House of Representatives; if it passes, schools will feature trio years to modification their names, mascots or logos.