During the lunch break of the 2014 Administrators’ Conference, all the administrative teams from the school division were treated to a special runway fashion show by the mascots from the Virginia Beach high schools. Check out a few of the pictures below, but for all the mascots and other pictures from the conference, visit our Facebook page.
Why are the Virginia Beach City Public Schools still using “Indians” as school mascots? Native people are the only group of living people used in such an undignified manner. It presents a simpleminded approach to the Native American Culture and directly promotes Stereotyping. The following quote speaks for them.
“This is a human rights issue, we are being denied the most basic respect. As long as our people are perceived as cartoon characters or static beings locked in the past, our socio-economic problems will never be seriously addressed. Also, this issue of imagery has a direct correlation with violence against Indian people and the high suicide rate of our youth.”
Michael S. Haney (Seminole)