Change the Mascot Change the Name or We Will Not Play Your Team

Change the Mascot Change the Name or We Will Not Play Your Team

Started
July 3, 2020
Signatures: 1,594Next Goal: 2,500
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Why this petition matters

Started by Sherrie Anne Noble

It is time to remove Native American sports team identities in public schools in Massachusetts. All teams must take action. To build inclusive, positive school systems stereotypes must be removed. Students are bullied because of stereotypes, racism is supported because of stereotypes. Today's students become tomorrow's adults so it is time, now to name this wrong and create a new, strong, good solution.

Today we who sign this petition offer our support for change and encourage the students and players in Massachusetts public schools to consider multiple ways of exposing the issue clearly and take actions directly to create real change. Together or individually we will:

1.       Reject the racist identities promoted in the Native American identified sports teams in our public schools.

2.       Refuse to be part of the teaching and promoting of racism by playing on or supporting any local team using a Native American name and/or mascot for its identity.

3.       Refuse to be part of the teaching and promoting of racism by refusing to play in a game or support any competition or game against any opponent team which has a Native American team identity.

4.       Learn the history of indigenous peoples in our community from before the arrival of the colonizers through the early interactions across the different groups and then through the centuries up to the realities faced by Native American tribes and people today.

5.       Create and establish a new team name and mascot for the local team if it currently uses a Native American team identity.

6.       Create a new team identity based upon the forces of nature, energy, animals or space with mascots reflecting inclusion and integrity as these will shape local schools and create communities of respect for all people with a focus on the future we build together

To teachers, administrators, coaches, community leaders of all kinds and all members of the general local populations we who sign this petition ask you to actively support all who are working to remove Native American sports team mascots and team identities in public schools. We ask you to officially support the students and those who take the steps described above. We encourage you yourselves to use the same steps where you work professionally, where you interact in your local community and in your family and personal life to build supportive communities around the new team identities.

We who sign this know: Racism has no place in our communities. The Native American school team identities must be removed. We all deserve to be treated with respect. We want the good for all our students all our communities. We know we will be better mothers, fathers, parents, sons, daughters, children, better people for what we learn, who we meet and what we build together.

#ISTOPRACISM               #RACISMISNOTAGAME            #STEREOTYPESLIE        #RACISMISWRONG       #RACISMHURTSEVERYONE       #DON’TBERACIST

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Signatures: 1,594Next Goal: 2,500
Support now
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