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S 312

Relates to complaints concerning the moral character of individuals who hold or who are applicants for New York State teaching certificates

2025 Regular Session Introduced by James Skoufis

Massachusetts public schools must phase out Native American mascots, names, and logos within 3 years via negotiated MOUs, with grant penalties for noncompliance.

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Bill Summary · S 312

Summary — S.312 (Senate Docket No. 856)

An Act prohibiting the use of Native American mascots by public schools in the Commonwealth

Purpose

To identify public schools using athletic team names, logos or mascots that name, refer to, represent or are associated with Native Americans (including cultural elements and recognized tribes) and to phase out or prohibit those mascots across Massachusetts public schools while promoting respect and knowledge of Native American heritage.

Key provisions

  • Agency roles
    • The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) must compile and submit to the Commission on Indian Affairs a list of all Massachusetts public schools and their athletic team names, logos and mascots.
    • The Commission on Indian Affairs will identify and publish schools whose names/logos/mascots refer to or are associated with Native Americans, and will consult tribal nation representatives.
  • Identification and reporting
    • The Commission must publish the identified list on its website and provide it to DESE.
  • Restrictions before agreement
    • Schools on the list may not purchase or refurbish uniforms or materials (banners, scoreboards, displays, etc.) bearing the identified team name/logo/mascot until they reach an agreement with DESE.
  • Review and recommendations
    • Within 1 year of publishing the list, the Commission will review general and school‑specific concerns and submit recommendations to DESE on policies to phase out or ban such mascots and ways to increase Native American cultural education.
  • Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs)
    • DESE must negotiate MOUs with each identified school using the Commission’s recommendations. Negotiations begin within 3 months of receiving recommendations.
    • Each school must enter into an MOU within 6 months of negotiations beginning. MOUs must include an implementation timeline not exceeding 3 years for full implementation.
  • Enforcement and incentives
    • Schools that fail to enter into or comply with an MOU are ineligible for discretionary state education grants.
  • New adoptions prohibited
    • Effective on passage, no public school may adopt a new athletic team name/logo/mascot that names, refers to, represents or is associated with Native Americans.
  • Rulemaking
    • DESE may promulgate regulations to implement the law.

Timeline & deadlines (as specified)

  • DESE list to Commission: within 3 months of effective date (Section 2 reiterates the 3-month completion).
  • Commission identification: within 3 months after receiving DESE’s list.
  • Commission review and recommendations: within 1 year after list publication.
  • DESE negotiates MOUs: begins within 3 months after receiving recommendations; MOUs executed within 6 months of negotiations starting.
  • Implementation timeline in each MOU: up to 3 years.

Who is affected

  • All Massachusetts public schools (K–12) with athletic team names, logos, or mascots that reference Native Americans.
  • Commission on Indian Affairs, DESE, and tribal nation representatives.
  • Schools’ vendors and local school budgets (replacement/renaming costs).
  • Eligibility for discretionary state education grants tied to compliance.

Potential impacts

  • Expected phase-out or banning of Native American mascots in public schools over up to a 3‑year implementation period.
  • Local costs for renaming, rebranding and replacing materials; potential mitigation via phased timelines.
  • Increased involvement of tribal representatives in school naming decisions and enhanced curricular or cultural education efforts.
  • Financial penalty risk (loss of discretionary grants) acting as enforcement leverage.

Current status & procedural notes

  • Bill text filed (Senate Docket No. 856) 1/14/2025; introduced in the Senate in January 2025.
  • Recorded status in provided materials: “REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE.”
  • Committee activity entries in the provided record are mixed (Education, Judiciary, Ways and Means) with multiple dates; consult the official legislative website for the latest procedural posture.

Note: The supplied metadata includes inconsistencies (different bill titles, sponsors and related federal bill numbers). This summary is based on the bill text (Senate Docket No. 856 / S.312) prohibiting Native American mascots in Massachusetts public schools. For definitive status and sponsors, refer to the official state legislative clerk or bill tracking site.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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