Aurora Public Schools officials are encouraging Hinckley High fans to raise their voices on the issue of choosing a new school mascot.
“Help @HinkleyHS select a new mascot by participating in a short, one-question survey at http://bit.ly/HHSmascot,” school officials posted in a Dec. 2, Twitter post. “The finalist will be revealed in January! #ValueEveryVoice.”
The need for a new mascot comes after Aurora Public Schools imposed a ban on use of Native themed mascots, logos and team names. Reports the finalist still being considered are Bluejays, Heroes, Pilots, Talon and Thunder.
Hinkley High School
| Hinkley High School/Facebook
Back in 2021, the Colorado legislature passed Senate Bill 21-116, which "prohibits the use of American Indian mascots by public schools, including charter and institute charter schools, and public institutions of higher education (public school) as of June 1, 2022. Violations of the act carry a fine of $25,000 per month for each month that a public school continues to use a mascot after such date, payable to the state education fund."
In responding to the new rule, The National Congress of American Indians asserted "notably this bill will not apply to schools on tribal lands or schools that consult with and receive approval from a federally-recognized Tribal Nation by June 30, 2021. However, Tribal Nations can revoke such approvals at any time. Schools that do not meet this criteria have until June 1, 2022 to retire their Native "themed" mascots, logos, or team names.
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