Los Angeles schools poised to dump Indian mascots
Story-Date: 05:33 a.m. PST Monday   , September 8, 1997

Los Angeles schools poised to dump Indian mascots   LOS
ANGELES (AP) -- Indian groups have all but won a 17-year campaign to
remove mascots depicting their people from all Los Angeles Unified
School District campuses.

The policy, which is expected to be formalized today, would require the
three high schools and one junior high school to drop the name and image of
their mascots.

Indian activists, who first proposed the policy in 1980, say it's about
time the Gardena High School Mohican, the University High School Warrior
and the Birmingham Brave were retired.

``Any time you have a school with a mascot like an Indian or warrior, there
is always going to be corresponding behavior with people walking up and
down with papier-mache masks and that stupid tomahawk thing,'' said Chumash
tribal elder Joseph P. Talaugon of the Committee for Native American
Rights.

``They say, `We're honoring you. It's good for you,''' he said.
``Stereotyping only perpetuates racism. It's a hate crime.''

Still, some alumni sought to preserve traditions they view as harmless
expressions of school spirit.

``Nothing will be gained by painting over the `Mighty Birmingham Brave,'''
wrote 1964 graduate Jim Pitillo in an opinion piece published in the
Los Angeles Times.



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