Dear School District Down the Road

Dear Principal,

While attending a basketball tournament with my daughter, I witnessed behavior from the 5^th grade girls’ team which was shockingly insensitive to Native Americans.  After winning the game, the girls participated in a ‘war whoop’ which consisted of a yelling in a stereotypical way and placing fingers above the head, like feathers.    As I know there are Native American students in our school, I would like to point out it is insensitive and destructive to the image of Native Americans to portray them as war-mongering or ‘red’.  In addition it is insulting to the Native Americans in your district. 

As your teams’ colors are red and white, and children as young as 10 are taught insensitive behavior,  I can only assume this is the way your district chooses to portray itself and that insulting, culturally and racially insensitive behavior is acceptable in Greenwood. 

As a professional educator, I am even more appalled that your district continues to use a Native American mascot and reinforces clearly offensive stereotypes.   This is not conducive to learning.  

Because I am not a resident of your school district I am unable to make a formal complaint with the DPI, however, as a responsible citizen I cannot remain silent on this issue.  I respectfully request that your students refrain from doing “war whoops” at Spencer Elementary school and request that you refrain from doing it elsewhere.  It is unacceptable behavior and it not something I think children should learn from one another.   Last, it is very unsportsmanlike. 

Concerned Parent and Teacher Down the Road