As Hart High School’s mascot change from “Indians” to “Hawks” continues to take shape, Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, has introduced a bill that could help with some of the monetary costs associated with that switch, and force other schools to take the same path.
Earlier this year, Schiavo and Assemblyman James Ramos, D-Highland, introduced Assembly Bill 3074, also known as the California Racial Mascots Act, which would prohibit public schools “from using any derogatory Native American term, as defined, as a school or athletic team name, mascot, or nickname,” beginning July 1, 2026.
The bill would allow for schools to receive permission from a local, federally recognized Native American tribe or tribal organization to use a certain name. Schools operated by a Native American tribe or tribal organization would also be exempt, as would be community colleges and California State and University of California four-year universities.
“The idea for AB 3074, which eliminates culturally harmful mascots, was brought to our office from the local community, who expressed concern about the impact Native American mascots had on our students and our community as a whole,” Schiavo said in a prepared statement. “I’m proud that our community is a model of tackling this issue and navigating a resolution to our mascot history. Given that there is already existing law in place banning a derogatory Native American name that was commonly used for mascots, it was a simple solution to introduce a bill that ensures existing law is more inclusive of derogatory terms.”
“In close consultation with tribal leaders,” Schiavo continued, “our Native American Caucus Chair Assemblymember Ramos, and following the lead of student leaders, we moved forward with AB 3074, which aims to create safe and inclusive schools for all of our students — one they can be proud of.”
The William S. Hart Union High School District governing board voted in July 2021 to remove “Indians” as the mascot of Hart High, citing a need to move away from a race-based symbol that the school has been associated with since Jan. 10, 1946. The board decided to make this change no later than 2025.
Earlier this year, Hart students and staff voted to make “Hawks” the new mascot. According to Hart Principal Jason d’Autremont, that change will require the following changes:
- New gym floors and scoreboard.
- Painting across the campus.
- Team uniforms.
- School apparel.
- Logos and branding.
At a recent governing board meeting, board member Joe Messina tasked district staff with determining how much it will cost to make those changes.
“I think we stop all of this until we get a budget and dollar amount on what we’ve spent so we know what we’re getting ourselves into,” Messina said.
According to Ralph Peschek, the Hart district’s assistant superintendent of business services, there has been money set aside for these changes, but that money was based on estimates and previous expenditures for similar projects.
California became the first state in the country to ban the use of “Redskins” as a nickname or mascot in 2015 when then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 30, the first iteration of the California Racial Mascots Act, into law. That law required public schools to remove “Redskins” as a mascot or nickname by Jan. 1, 2017.
Schiavo’s bill adds on to that, including “Apaches, Big Reds, Braves, Chiefs, Chieftains, Chippewa, Comanches, Indians, Savages, Squaw, and Tribe” as derogatory terms that would not be allowed.
Schools that currently use one of those terms as a nickname or mascot would be allowed to continue to use uniforms or other materials bearing that name so long as those were purchased prior to July 1, 2026. For that to be the case, however, schools must: select a new mascot; refrain from purchasing or acquiring new uniforms or other material (yearbooks, newspapers, etc.) using a derogatory term; and refrain from purchasing or constructing marquees, signs or other fixtures using a derogatory term.
Should school districts be forced to make purchases due to this bill, the state is required to reimburse districts for certain costs.
This is not the first time that the Legislature has tried to impose such a ban on school nicknames and mascots. Between 2002 and 2005, former Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles, introduced several bills attempting to prohibit the use of Native American terms as mascots or nicknames. She eventually pushed two bills through the Legislature to only ban the use of “Redskins,” but both were vetoed by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Schiavo’s bill has registered support from the American Civil Liberties Union California Action, the Cahuilla Band Indians, the California Federation of Teachers, the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and the Tule River Tribe.
There is no registered opposition to the bill.
