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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2001

Fulfilling a threat she made, a Native American activist has filed a federal civil rights complaint against four South Dakota public school districts for their continued use of Indians as mascots, logos and symbols.

Betty Ann Gross is the director of the Minority Resource Center in Watertown. She has led efforts to change Indian mascots, seeing success at some schools.

But since others have not responded, she has filed complaints agains the Sisseton, Woonsocket, Estelline and Watertown districts. She may also file actions against the Iroquois, Wessington, Wakpala and Sioux Falls schools.

The complaints were filed with the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights earlier this month. The office must first review them before sending investigative teams to any of the schools cited.

Get the Story:
Schools sued for Indian mascots (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 10/17)

Relevant Links:
Office of Civil Rights, DOE - http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCR

Related Stories:
Affirmative action foe up for civil rights post (6/27)