TULALIP, Wash. — Tulalip Tribes decided to allow Marysville Pilchuck High School to keep its mascot after a contentious vote among its tribal members last week.
The decision followed a Washington state bill that passed during the most recent legislative session. Washington State House Bill 1356, which was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee in April, aims to end the disrespectful use of Native American imagery in schools that can be seen as discriminatory and derogatory. The bill gave schools to which the law applied until Dec. 31 to officially change their mascots, logos and team names.
The Tulalip Tribes Board of Directors initially sent a letter to the Marysville School District in an effort to consult with the school on changing its mascot, the Tomahawks. The effort looked to involve Tribal members in developing a new mascot for Marysville Pilchuck High School.
However, Tulalip Tribal members voted 92 to 83 to allow the high school to keep its mascot after many members spoke out about how they actually had a positive experience with the mascot, especially those who went to Marysville Pilchuck.
“At our meeting, what I heard is we have people who have positive associations with the mascot, particularly people who played sports and had friendships within the school district that uplifted that mascot and that sense of pride within the school, “ said Rochelle Lubbers, chief administrative officer for the Tulalip Tribes, adding that there were also those who had a negative experience with the mascot.
Following the vote, the board of directors withdrew their consultation letter and passed a motion on Dec. 3 to allow the high school to retain the Tomahawks mascot, according to a letter sent to the Marysville School District.
Lubbers acknowledged how close the vote was among tribal members, saying that the divisiveness is still there despite the motion and change in direction from the board of directors.
“That vote that happened within our community was a small margin of our population, and then our board made that decision to uphold that as our constitution requires,” she said. “So, the community still doesn’t have resolve when it comes to everyone agreeing, but this is where we stand right now.”
Another situation similar to that of Marysville Pilchuck High School involved the Wahluke School District in Grant County, which features a warrior image as its logo. The school district gave a presentation to the Yakama Tribal Council in an effort to retain the logo. The council agreed with the school district on the historical and cultural significance of the logo and voted to let it keep the image.
Other schools in the Puget Sound region have already undergone the changes mandated by the law.
Shorewood High School decided to retire its Thunderbirds mascot in October, and Bethel High School has already changed its mascot from the Braves to the Bison.
Many students with Native ancestry have expressed the harm certain mascots and imagery can do to how they self-identify at a young age.
Lubbers said she hopes that whether mascots are changed or remain in place, the schools will respond appropriately to students and work to uplift those Native voices within their communities.
“I think the most important thing whether mascots are retained or removed is to make sure the environment and the school is culturally responsive, that Native voices are uplifted and heard,” she said.