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Minooka board mobilizes community after House Bill 1237 would bar generic Native American mascots
Summary
Board members expressed strong opposition to House Bill 1237, discussed costs of rebranding, and directed administration to draft a community letter and mobilize outreach ahead of the legislature’s next actions.
The Minooka Community High School District 111 Board of Education spent an extended segment of its meeting discussing House Bill 1237, legislation that would prohibit K–12 use of generic Native American names and imagery and could require districts to remove names, logos and stadium markings.
Superintendent Robert Schiffbauer told the board the district’s cost to comply — for replacing logos, uniforms, field markings and marketing materials — could be “north of $3 million,” not including staff time to implement changes and coordinate community outreach. Several board members said the district’s mascot name is a generic term that would not qualify for statutory exemptions and that a requirement to rebrand would be costly and disruptive for students and alumni.
Board members described student and community sentiment as largely opposed to the proposed change and said students are vocal and unhappy. Several trustees urged immediate outreach to state lawmakers, and the board agreed to have administration prepare a drafted letter for distribution to district households and social media channels. The superintendent said he would circulate a draft by the following morning and that the board would deploy an outreach push — phone, email and venue announcements — if the bill moved quickly through the Senate.
Trustees discussed forming coalitions with other affected districts, working with state associations (IASB/ISBE/ISA) and preparing a targeted petition and call‑in campaign for key senators, including the bill’s sponsor and local legislators identified in conversation. Several members urged that the message be practical and make it easy for citizens to take immediate action (pre‑populated email/phone scripts and direct links).
Board members also discussed legal and political options, including joining a multi‑district response and coordinating messaging with nearby districts that share Native American mascots. The board did not adopt a legal challenge at the meeting; instead it endorsed rapid public outreach and asked administration to coordinate with legislators and the district’s lobbyists.
Ending: Administration will circulate a draft letter and mobilization plan for board review and execute community outreach if the bill moves before the board’s next meeting.
