SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Oregon schools will have a chance to keep their Native American mascots under a bill Gov. John Kitzhaber’s signed into law Thursday.
A statewide ban on school use of Native American mascots takes effect in 2017, but lawmakers crafted a bill to let school districts keep them, with tribal permission.
The law requires the state Board of Education to consult with federally recognized tribes in Oregon to write guidelines for the agreements between schools and tribes over mascots and their use. The agreements are also subject to the board’s approval.
The governor vetoed a similar bill last year that didn’t require the Board of Education to get involved.
This time, lawmakers and tribal leaders worked with the governor’s staff early in the process to reach a compromise.
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