A Northern California school district is actively seeking to retain its high school team nickname and mascot as a new state law mandating the removal of derogatory terms depicting Indigenous Americans takes effect.
Marysville High School is among several educational institutions across California that are required to change their mascots following the implementation of the California Racial Mascot Act on July 1. This legislation, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024, prohibits any school or athletic team in the state from utilizing "any derogatory Native American term" as a name or mascot. However, the law includes a provision allowing districts to keep their mascots and names if they secure written consent from a local, federally recognized tribe.
Jordan Reeves, superintendent of the Marysville Joint Unified School District, stated in an online announcement that district representatives engaged with local tribal leaders to seek endorsement for the district's "Indian" mascot. Despite these efforts, tribal representatives adopted a neutral stance, neither endorsing nor opposing the continued use of the name.
Undeterred, Marysville High School is continuing its pursuit. Reeves indicated that the district "will continue pursuing opportunities to obtain written permission from a local, federally recognized tribe that would allow Marysville High School to retain its historic mascot under the provisions of state law." The school has not yet provided further comment.
The California Racial Mascot Act has prompted other schools to revise their mascots. In Southern California, Burbank High School transitioned its name from the "Indians" to the "Bulldogs," while St. Bernard High School replaced its Native American imagery with a Viking theme. Some schools preemptively retired their former mascots before the bill's introduction. For instance, Fresno High School changed its mascot in 2021 from a warrior to an image of Royce Hall, incorporating an owl and an international baccalaureate symbol, while retaining the "warrior" name.
In another Central Valley case, Clarke Intermediate School narrowly avoided changing its "Chieftain" mascot after receiving support from the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians in December 2025, according to EdSource. The controversy surrounding Native American-themed mascots and school names has a long history, with Native American groups advocating for the elimination of such imagery for decades. Fullerton High School, for example, faced calls for the removal of its "warrior" mascot in 2001, and nearly 25 years later, in November 2025, it changed its mascot to the "Red Hawks" to comply with state law.
For Marysville High School, the timeline for its campaign to retain its mascot remains uncertain. However, SFGate reported that the school's football opener on August 28 may serve as a de facto deadline, as the team would be required to compete with new helmets and a revised name if they fail to secure the necessary tribal support.
