A new law is making a Rochester middle school change the name of its mascot, community is confused
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Rochester's Dakota Middle School will have to change its mascot before September of 2025, after the district's appeal to keep its Bison mascot was denied by tribal leaders across the state.
The school, which opened in 2022, chose the name Bison after working with the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee. The school's Bison logo was created by a native artist.
"Though it may be disappointing to change our mascot, RPS' desire is to continue to honor the sacred land and traditions of the Dakota people," wrote the district in a letter to parents.
The school is one of more than two dozen that Minnesota's Department of Education says might need to change mascot names to meet Minnesota's new law, which prevents schools from adopting a name, symbol, or image that depicts or refers to an American Indian Tribe, individual, custom, or tradition to be used as a mascot.
14 schools, including Dakota Middle School, appealed to Minnesota's Tribal Nations Education Committee. State law states all 11 tribes on the committee need to unanimously vote for a mascot to stay in place which happened at least once when the Warroad Warriors retained their name. The Warriors of Wheaton Area Schools, however, must also change their mascot.
In Dakota Middle School's case, district leaders say they were "honored" to have a school named after the Dakota people and are hopeful to pair with another native artist to create a new logo.
Minnesota State Senator Mary Kunesh, who was the lead author for the law, declined an on-camera interview and declined to provide a statement about school name changes.
Minnesota's Department of Education also declined to provide a statement and could not provide information on rulings for schools that had appealed name changes.
Minnesota's Tribal Native Education Committee also declined to provide a statement as to how a district that worked with native leaders to create a school mascot could still be forced to change names under the new law.
Rochester Public Schools declined further comment on how much a name change will cost, or where that money will come from.
