Savage Mascot Public Forum Set for Thursday, July 15th

Lamar High School

The Lamar School District, Re-2 Board of Education will host a community forum, Thursday, July 15th at 7pm at the Lamar High School Auditorium to discuss options for the school in light of the passage of Senate Bill 21-116, “Concerning the Prohibition of American Indian Mascots in Colorado”.

The bill was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis on June 28th. This law prohibits the use of American Indian mascots by public schools as of June 1, 2022. The bill imposes a fine of $25,000 per month for each month that a school continues to use a mascot after such date, payable to the state education fund.

This community forum is an opportunity to learn more about the law, the activities the Board of Education has engaged in over the last year and the steps the district will need to take over the next year. The board will allow comments to three minutes per individual to provide sufficient time for perspective from all community members interested in speaking,

Specifically, the bill prohibits any K-12 school or institution of higher education in Colorado from using an American Indian mascot after June 1, 2022. A failure to comply would result in a onetime $25,000 fine for the school district or charter school institute and subsequent monthly fines for institutions of higher education. These fines would then be collected in the State Education Fund.

The prohibition does not apply to:

Any agreement that exists prior to June 30, 2021, between a federally recognized Indian tribe (tribe) and a public school, although the tribe has the right and ability to revoke the agreement at any time; any public school that is operated by a tribe or with the approval of a tribe and existing within the boundaries of the tribe’s reservation; The ability of a tribe to create and maintain a relationship or agreement with a public school that fosters goodwill, emphasizes education and supports a curriculum that teaches American Indian history, and encourages a positive cultural exchange. Any such agreement may allow any mascot that is culturally affiliated with the tribe, as determined at the discretion of the tribe’s governing body.
by Russ Baldwin