Colorado school district gets to keep mascot named after Kiowa Tribe

A Colorado faculty district will nonetheless be able to use its mascot named following the Kiowa Tribe in spite of a state legislation banning the use of American Indian mascots by schools likely into effect following month, voted the Colorado Fee of Indian Affairs on Thursday.

Elbert County University District C-2, based in Kiowa, was eradicated from the commission’s non-compliance record, this means its 3 educational facilities — Kiowa Elementary, Kiowa Middle School and Kiowa Superior School — can nevertheless use the district’s existing mascot, the Kiowa Indians.

“The district is fired up that as a school we have the honor of aiding to maintain the historical past of the Kiowa Indians,” the college district explained in a assertion posted on its web-site. “Our city and district are devoted to working with the Kiowa Tribe in the training of our pupils and neighborhood.”

Previous calendar year, point out lawmakers handed Senate Bill 21-116 to prohibit the use of American Indian mascots by Colorado schools starting off on June 1, 2022.

Elbert County School District has an settlement with the Kiowa Tribe in Oklahoma relating to the a few schools’ use of the mascot. The district is also introducing classes for elementary and substantial school learners in its effort and hard work to comply with the law, according to the commission.

The lessons will give Native American education and learning, claimed Fox 31.

A consultant with the school district could not straight away be arrived at for comment.