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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Barbershop-style singers help local schools ... Water plant upgrade to increase water bills ... Giving back to the givers ... Barbershop-style singers help local schools ... Water plant upgrade to increase water bills ... Giving back to the givers ... OTHER VIEWS Other Views: State Board of Education dragging its feet over Native American mascots Comment By Albany Democrat-Herald MailTribune.com By Albany Democrat-Herald Posted Apr. 18, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Albany Democrat-Herald Posted Apr. 18, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Another battle looms in the state of Oregon's long controversy over schools using Native American names or images as their mascots — but this time, a larger issue may be at stake. The mascot issue has been an emotional one in Oregon and elsewhere for years. The larger issue now may boil down to this: Who gets to make laws in Oregon — the Legislature or the boards charged with implementing those laws? Lebanon, Philomath and 13 other public high schools use "Warriors," ''Indians" or other team names with Native American connotations. The State Board of Education voted in 2012 to require all Oregon public schools to eliminate American Indian names, mascots and imagery by 2017 or risk losing state funding. The rule still stands. But then-Gov. John Kitzhaber signed a bill last February allowing schools to work with their closest tribes on acceptable names and imagery, as long as those discussions are based on rules set up by the state board. Now, though, Rep. Sherrie Sprenger of Scio, who cosponsored last year's bill in the Legislature, has introduced another bill that would ban the state board from making any rules related to the type of mascots schools may use. The bill also would prevent the board from withholding state funds from state schools based on mascot issues. It's a warning shot to the board: Sprenger's bill, House Bill 3536, says that the board has been "unwilling or unable to fulfill its duties as directed" by the Legislature. Board members were not pleased. Said one: "'Unable or unwilling' is just not a fair appraisal of any reality. That is not what's gone on." Well, maybe not. But the board never has seemed particularly enthused about working on the rules. Sprenger said a couple of months ago that she thought the board finally was making progress, but her new legislation is a clear signal that she thinks the progress has stalled. One possible appraisal of what's "gone on" is that the board is trying to do what it can bureaucratically to gut the 2014 bill. At its March meeting, most board members made it clear they were still uncomfortable with rules that would allow the use of Native American names or imagery in any form. But that shouldn't matter. "We made a law," Sprenger said. "They need to follow it." The Board of Education can defuse this controversy by quickly approving a set of reasonable rules that honor the spirit of the 2014 law. People who are opposed to the 2014 law could have taken their case to the 2015 Legislature instead of trying to undermine it through the board. The hope behind Sprenger's 2014 bill was that it would trigger candid discussions between schools and nearby tribes, and that those discussions would give students a chance to learn about Oregon's Native Americans. Students who have been following this issue may be learning a lesson, but it's not so much about Native Americans as it is about political backfighting. By Albany Democrat-Herald MailTribune.com By Albany Democrat-Herald Posted Apr. 18, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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