Kansas board recommends ending Native American mascots

By MARGARET STAFFORD
Associated Press

The Kansas State Board of Education is recommending that school districts end the use of Native America mascots and branding. The board approved a motion Thursday that asked districts with Native American mascots to retire them as soon as possible, but no longer than in three to five years. Board members stressed that it is only a recommendation and the decision will be left to local districts. They said the motion was designed to encourage local districts to discuss how the mascots negatively affect Native American students. The vote follows a recommendation from an advisory group that included representatives from the four federally recognized tribes in Kansas.