Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed a controversial Native mascot bill into law. News coverage here and here.
Excerpt:
Act 250 was signed into law by Gov. Jim Doyle, a Democrat, and took effect in 2010. The new law will largely repeal the current law, the first of its kind in the country.
Act 250 allowed the Department of Public Instruction to begin a review process if one complaint is received that a school nickname, logo or mascot is offensive.
The new law shifts the hearing to the state Department of Administration and away from DPI, essentially giving more control to the administration in power and less to the nonpartisan state superintendent’s office.
Under the previous law, a school district must prove that its mascot or nickname is not offensive if someone files a complaint.
The new law stipulates any complaints will have to include a petition signed by members of the community equivalent to 10 percent of the district’s student population saying the logo or mascot is offensive, shifting the burden of proof to those filing the complaint.
Those who sign the petition must by 18 or older.
Link to the bill history and text here.
Turtle Talk 