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Opinion
Opinion: Why would Indians attend 'abusive' school?


"When the NCAA announced its new policy to penalize college teams for using American Indian nicknames, it said the action supported the organization's goals of diversity and inclusion.

The underlying assumption is that the 18 universities using American Indian names and imagery deemed "hostile and abusive" are less diverse and, therefore, less effective educational institutions because they create an atmosphere in which Native Americans are excluded.

After all, why would minority students choose to attend a school that's openly hostile and abusive to them when they have other choices?

If the NCAA's premise is correct, American Indian students should be attending state universities which lack the allegedly offensive nicknames, mascots and logos in much greater numbers than those that use them. However, in the Dakotas, the exact opposite is true."

Get the Story:
Patrick C. Miller: Native enrollment refutes NCAA (The Grand Forks Herald 9/26)

NCAA Policy:
NCAA Executive Committee Issues Guidelines for Use of Native American Mascots at Championship Events (August 5, 2005)

Relevant Links:
University of North Dakota - http://www.und.edu
Fighting Sioux - http://www.fightingsioux.com
NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee - http://www1.ncaa.org/eprise/main/
membership/governance/assoc-wide/moic/index.html

National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media - http://www.aimovement.org/ncrsm

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