When we think of how to represent groups of people we tend to classify them by creating a name or symbol. According to D. Stanley Eitzen, “a symbol is anything (word, gesture, or object) that carries a particular meaning for the members of a group” (Eitzen pg 44). The functions of symbols are to bring individuals together into one group and to separate groups from one another. Schools use symbols in athletics as representation, these are better known as mascots. These chosen symbols are more than just words, gestures, or objects, rather they convey “the characteristics and attributes that define the institution” (Eitzen pg 45). A school’s mascot holds such valuable meaning for everyone including the students, staff, and local community;
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A database of 42, 624 schools in the country was analyzed and the reports show that the states with the highest percentage of schools with Native American mascots were found in the Midwest. In these areas it was further discovered that they are home to very few Native American people. A major reasoning as to why these school mascots go untested is because “Native American removal and institutionalized racism has provided these schools license to continue using such imagery and names” (Moya-Smith paragraph 4). With the lack of Native American population in these areas, there is no one to educate and speak out against the use of the mascot; there is no one there to tell these schools they are performing a harmful and discriminatory …show more content…
The teams with the biggest opposition to change their mascot include the MLB team, the Cleveland Indians, and the NFL team, the Washington Redskins. These two teams receive much attention due to their popularity and refusal to eliminate their mascots. Currently, both teams still have not budged on changing their mascots and remain strong in their
A database of 42, 624 schools in the country was analyzed and the reports show that the states with the highest percentage of schools with Native American mascots were found in the Midwest. In these areas it was further discovered that they are home to very few Native American people. A major reasoning as to why these school mascots go untested is because “Native American removal and institutionalized racism has provided these schools license to continue using such imagery and names” (Moya-Smith paragraph 4). With the lack of Native American population in these areas, there is no one to educate and speak out against the use of the mascot; there is no one there to tell these schools they are performing a harmful and discriminatory …show more content…
The teams with the biggest opposition to change their mascot include the MLB team, the Cleveland Indians, and the NFL team, the Washington Redskins. These two teams receive much attention due to their popularity and refusal to eliminate their mascots. Currently, both teams still have not budged on changing their mascots and remain strong in their