ROCHESTER, Minn. – The principal of Dakota Middle School wrote parents that the school’s bison mascot will be retired to conform with a new state law against native people’s images and icons. The school opened in 2022 with the idea that a bison mascot complemented the Dakota school name. Principal Levi Lundak told parents that the school asked for an exemption to keep the bison mascot but was denied. Lundak asked parents to suggest a new mascot. The new state law on mascoots responded to concerns from Indian entities about exploitation of native symbols for school nicknames and mascots like Blackhawk, Braves, Eskomos ,Indians, Redmen, Whitehawks and Warriors.
Verbatim
Statute: “Starting September 1, 2025, a public school may not have or adopt a name, symbol, or image that depicts or refers to an American Indian tribe, individual, custom, or tradition to be used as a mascot, nickname, logo, letterhead, or team name of the school, district, or school within the district.” Exceptions must be approved by the Tribal Nations Education Committee and the Indian Affairs Council.
Verbatim
Indian sensitivity: “The buffalo was sacred to my people. It was our food, our shelter, our religion, and it was life itself. How dare a white man take our deity and make it a sports team mascot?”