Bill Text: IL HJR0071 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urges the State Board of Education to conduct a study on the number of schools, school districts, and other public school associations across the State that currently utilize Native American names, logos, and mascots. Urges the State Board of Education, through conversations with local schools and school districts, to collect findings on what the cost would be for these individual schools and districts to remove and change Native American names, mascots, and logos. Urges the State Board of Education to include its findings in a written report to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2024. Urges schools, school districts, and other public school associations to consider and plan for changing these harmful Native American names, mascots, and logos. Urges the State Board of Education to use all tools available to work towards the immediate end of the practice of using racial slurs as team names in Illinois schools.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-15 - Placed on Calendar Order of Resolutions [HJR0071 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HJR0071-Introduced.html

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HJ0071 LRB103 40461 MST 72830 r
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Research has shown that the continued use of
Native American names, logos, and mascots in schools has a
negative effect not only on Native American students but also
on all students by undermining the educational experiences of
members of all communities, especially those who have had
little to no contact with indigenous peoples; and
WHEREAS, Research also shows that the use of Native
American names, logos, and mascots used in schools establishes
an unwelcome and often hostile learning environment for Native
American students and affirms negative images and stereotypes
that are promoted in mainstream society; and
WHEREAS, The use of Native American names, logos, and
mascots can be defined as using any person, animal, or object
to represent a school that names, refers to, represents, or is
associated with Native Americans, including Native American
cultures and specific Native American tribes, but not
including names associated with the name of a local county,
municipality, or school district; and
WHEREAS, The American Psychological Association recommends
the retirement of Native American mascots, a recommendation
first made in 2005; and

HJ0071 - 2 - LRB103 40461 MST 72830 r
WHEREAS, A particular team name, Redskins, used by schools
in Illinois is defined in dictionaries as offensive, a racial
slur used as an insulting and contemptuous term for a Native
American; and
WHEREAS, The State of Illinois wants all children to have
a safe, healthy, and equitable learning experience in our
public education system, including Native American children;
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the State Board of
Education to conduct a study on the number of schools, school
districts, and other public school associations across the
State that currently utilize Native American names, logos, and
mascots; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge the State Board of Education,
through conversations with local schools and school districts,
to collect findings on what the cost would be for these
individual schools and districts to remove and change Native
American names, mascots, and logos; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge the State Board of Education to

HJ0071 - 3 - LRB103 40461 MST 72830 r
include its findings in a written report to the General
Assembly no later than December 31, 2024; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge schools, school districts, and
other public school associations to consider and plan for
changing these harmful Native American names, mascots, and
logos; and be it further