Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc.
Resolution to eliminate the use of depictions of and cultural references to American Indians as mascots, logos, and team nicknames in Wisconsin public schools.

Participating Members of the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc.

Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians;
Forest County Potawatomi Tribe;
Ho-Chunk Nation;
Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians;
Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians;
Lac Vieux Desert Tribe of Michigan;
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin;
Oneida Nation;
Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians;
St Croix Tribe of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians;
Sokaogon Mole Lake Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians;
Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians.



Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc.

Resolution No. 99-01.05



WHEREAS, The Great lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc., is a consortium of twelve federally recognized Indian Tribes native to the region of the North American continent and the area around Lake Superior; and


WHEREAS, the strength of GLITC lies in the resolve of the tribes to be independent, yet to come together in a unified forum to address those issues which require intertribal unity and attention, and


WHEREAS, "Indian" mascots and logos are offensive, disrespectful, and demeaning; "Indian" logos mock Indian people, cultures, and traditions; "Indian" logos contribute to a societal environment that is racist, oppressive, and harmful to harmonious relationships between people; and


WHEREAS, all children in schools depicting "Indian" stereotypes are encouraged to tolerate, perpetrate, and maintain racist practices against a group of people, and


WHEREAS, children in Wisconsin schools have been exposed to this form of racial, ethnic discrimination since the early 1920’s, and continue to be exposed to such racism today, although other forms of stereotyping such as blackface minstrel shows have long since disappeared from the American landscape, and


WHEREAS, the presence of these symbols in state-supported schools, at the expense of Indian and non-Indian taxpaying constituents constitutes state-supported racism, and


WHEREAS, appropriate means of recognizing Native American people exist through teaching Native American history accurately, by treating Native American students with the same respect afforded other students, and by removing "Indian" mascots and logos, and


WHEREAS, Native American Indian Tribes and other organizations have voiced their condemnation of such images by adopting similar resolutions, providing education, and taking political action.


NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, condemns the use of "Indian" logos as offensive and will work alone and in concert with other organizations to eliminate the use of depictions of and cultural references to American Indians as mascots, logos, and team nicknames in Wisconsin public schools.


BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this form of racism which damages Native American children and cultures be removed from Wisconsin Public Schools before the new millennium.


CERTIFICATION

I, the undersigned, as Secretary/Treasurer of the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc. Board of Directors comprised of eleven members, of which 10, constituting a quorum, were present, do hereby certify the foregoing resolution was adopted at a meeting duly called, noticed, convened and held on the 21st day of January 1999, by an affirmative vote of 10 members for, 0 members against, and 0 members abstaining.

Al Trepania, Secretary/Treasurer