Posted by the Santa Barbara News Press on April 23, 2008 Carpinteria Students Protest Removal
of Indian Warrior Mascot ImagesMore than 600 students at Carpinteria High School are protesting a school district decision to remove images of the school's Indian warrior mascot.
A student who is a member of the Chumash tribe complained the school's mascot - an American Indian wearing a headdress - perpetuates stereotypes and offensive to Native Americans.
The Carpinteria Unified School District board voted 3-2 this week voted the Warriors team name can be retained but murals, paintings, statues and other Indian depictions around the campus will have to go.
More than 600 students marched from the campus to the district superintendent Paul Cordeiro's office on Wednesday to protest the vote. The Indian imagery issue will be on the agenda at the next school board meeting.
School board member Amrita Salm says the warrior image "is discrimination, disrespectful and propagates ethnic stereotypes."
