Call to Action: Oppose House Bill 1237 (Prohibiting Native American Mascots)

Posted Date: 04/10/25 (04:19 PM)

Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 Superintendent Dr. Mark B. Skertich is calling on families and members of the Kahok community to reach out to their Illinois State Senator to oppose HB 1237 which would prohibit Native American mascots.

We are asking to leave this decision under local control to allow our community, families and school board to determine our mascot.

Instructions for contacting your Illinois State Senator are shared below.

This afternoon, Dr. Skertich released the following statement:

Statement from Superintendent Dr. Mark B. Skertich Re: Illinois House Bill 1237

Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 is aware of the passage of Illinois House Bill 1237 which pertains to schools with Native American mascots. Now that the bill may be considered in the Illinois State Senate, we are actively reaching out to our state senators to oppose this legislation.

Our Collinsville High School Kahok mascot is a treasured part of our local community. Our district is home to the Cahokia Mounds World Heritage and State Historic Site, which is located where a large, influential Native American city once stood. Artifacts indicate it was the center of Mississippian culture in its day.

In 2020, our district received a formal written endorsement from the Western Cherokee Nation of Arkansas and Missouri to continue using our Kahok mascot. Their support is based on their belief that the people of the Western Cherokee could be descended from the Cahokia mound builders.

In a statement, Executive Director & Tribal Council Speaker Murl Pierson said: “On behalf of myself and the entire Tribal Council, we feel honored to endorse your mascott [sic] and your dedication to helping to preserve the history and knowledge of the American Indian peoples.”

Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 will always strive to honor and respect Native American culture. It is an important part of our local history. We believe our Kahok mascot is a means of fostering pride, educating others, and keeping Native American history and heritage in the public consciousness.

The Western Cherokee Nation Tribal Council told us,”In a time when it seems that people are wanting to erase history and do away with the past, it makes us proud that you and your school want to keep history alive. Yes, we will gladly endorse your use of part of the American Indian culture and history as part of the background for your school system.

We do ask one thing, however, as you go out using the Kahok as your symbol of strength and bravery, please do it in such a way that should the spirit of the Cahokia people were looking down on you, that they would be proud.”

Our district believes a mascot can promote awareness, celebrate Native culture and encourage dialogue between communities and adamantly opposes this legislation.

Collinsville CUSD 10 leaders are actively opposing this legislation in the Senate. We are encouraging everyone in our community to contact members of the Illinois State Senate to oppose House Bill 1237.

How to Oppose This Legislation:

Use THIS LINK to identify your Illinois State Senator
Send a message to your state senator. A sample letter is posted below. You can use this language or adapt it.
This action is URGENT. Please send a message ASAP and ask your local family and friends to so the same.

Dear [Legislator's Name],
I strongly urge you to oppose HB 1237, which was passed by the Illinois House of Representatives.

I am contacting you as a resident in Collinsville Community Unit School District #10. This legislation would not only impose an undue financial burden—estimated at nearly $2 million for a district of our size—but would also strip our community of local control. The decision to change a long-standing symbol of pride should remain in the hands of those most directly impacted: our students, educators, families and community members.

It is important to note that our district has the support of the Western Cherokee Nation of Arkansas and Missouri in maintaining our current mascot. Furthermore, our educators place a significant emphasis on the respectful teaching of Native American culture, and our proximity to Cahokia Mounds—an important and sacred historical site—further deepens this connection.

This is not a decision to be made lightly and the loss of local control, in this case, would be devastating.

I cannot express strongly enough how vital it is that you stand in opposition to HB 1237.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Title/Role, if applicable]
[School District or Community]