Mock Native American dance leads to controversy
A mock Native American dance at a Clintonville High School pep rally on Thursday, Oct. 3, resulted in all Homecoming activities for Friday being cancelled.
According to the Clintonville School District’s website, Friday night’s Homecoming football game against Fox Valley Lutheran has been postponed.
A video of Clintonville students mimicking a Native American dance was posted on social media.
“We are insulted and disappointed that the Clintonville School District, staff and students and the community have depicted Native Americans in this disrespectful way of a pep rally,” said Brandon Yellowbird Stevens, vice-chair of the Oneida Nation in a press release shared on Twitter. “This is exactly why we demand that schools stop using racist mascots. We are Native Americans with a proud culture and heritage, we are not mascots.”
Stevens took issue with the notion that team mascots honor Native Americans.
“Honoring is nor achieved by depicting a race of people in a stereotypical image,” Stevens said. “Honoring does not include war whoops, tomahawk chops, and other antics that accompany such mascots at sporting events.”
Stevens encouraged the Clintonville School District to pass a resolution to ban racist mascots.
“We extend an invitation to come to your school and share an educational experience with your staff and students,” Stevens said.
Superintendant’s response
Clintonville Superintendant David Dyb released a statement Friday afternoon regarding the incident.
“The Clintonville Public School District is aware of and apologizes for a very unfortunate event that occurred on October 3rd, at Clintonville High School,” Dyb said in the release. “During a lunchtime homecoming dance off, non-American Indian students wrongfully created a disrespectful mockery of American Indian culture by imitating and misrepresenting an American Indian dance.”
Dyb said the specific dance “was not school approved nor sanctioned by the school or any district employee.”
“Clintonville Public School District does not support, nor do we condone any behavior that would affect or offend any culture, race, color, religion, sex, nationality or origin,” Dyb said.
Dyb noted that local tribes and tribe members had contacted the school district and offered cultural education and support.
“We will seek additional input and put together a long-term plan to repair the harm and use this incident to reflect upon, learn, embrace, and to better understand and celebrate the diversity of all, including the Tribal Nations of Wisconsin,” Dyb said.