Colorado Bans Native American Mascots

If there is a school that has a Native American logo and/or mascot, it's about to go away in the next year and maybe even sooner and that looks to include "the Reds" in Eaton.

According to ednewscolorado.net, Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill Monday outlawing American Indian mascots in public K-12 schools, including charter schools, by October and at public universities by June 2022. (Schools on tribal land are exempt)

Recently, in northern Colorado, the Loveland Indians had to change their nickname and mascot to the Red Wolves and now it looks like any other school that has a Native American-themed nickname and mascot will be doing the same.

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It's been a trickle-down effect starting at the professional level a couple of years ago when the Washington Redskins changed their name to simply, the Washington Football Club (at least until they figure out a new nickname).

Colorado is now one of seven states to end the use of Native American mascots as the new law recognizes the historical oppression of Indigenous people within our state and the mascots' role in "promoting bullying" of American Indian students.

According to the Colorado Sun, as of a couple of months ago, about a couple dozen Colorado schools were using Native American mascots, including the Reds, which is the nickname for our Eaton Reds right here in Northern Colorado and was one of the nicknames mentioned in this new bill that possibly needed to be changed along with others like the "Warriors," and "Savages," etc.

Polis also signed a bill that requires public state colleges and universities to offer in-state tuition for students in Native American tribes with historical connections to Colorado.