SPIRO, Okla. — The anticipation before the rivalry football game between the Pocola Indians and Spiro Bulldogs is big every year. In Spiro, that includes a fundraiser where students can purchase Bulldog memorabilia to go all out against the Indians.
Both cities have a high population of Native Americans who call the area home. When controversial school spirit ribbons were sold to Spiro students depicting racist imagery, parents were particularly angry.
Pictures sent to 5NEWS show a cartoon image of a bald Native American cartoon caricature with the caption "Bulldogs scalp the Indians, let's go get 'em."
Spiro Superintendent Dr. Richard Haynes said the schools are using the controversy as an opportunity to "embrace and value personal and professional growth."
School staff has reportedly had "intentional, professional, and culturally educational conversations," due to the "circumstances" surrounding the ribbons, according to Dr. Haynes.
Arianna Sherfield, whose children are Choctaw and attend Spiro schools, was shocked when her son confirmed the ribbons had been given to students. "It's just horrifying. I had to explain to him what scalping was and the history behind it. My four-year-old, who also goes to the school asked me 'Mommy, what does scalping mean?'"
"How can we tell children to be proud of Native American heritage when the schools are preaching that it's okay to be violent to them? It's disgusting," said Sherfield.
Another parent, Ann Louise Howerton said it would be disconcerting for a Native American parent living in Choctaw Nation to see those ribbons handed out by a K-12 school they chose to send their child to.
"Spiro Public Schools normalized this type of violence, brushing a genocide that happened in our country under the rug while preaching they are a no-tolerance zone for bullying," said Howerton, who also told 5NEWS the Spiro superintendent responded to her messages about the ribbon but did not apologize.
Other parents told 5NEWS that the issues with the Spiro public school system go back years.
Brittney Simpson, the mother of a ninth grader, said she's seen issues like this come up since she was in school there herself.
"When I was in fourth-grade art class, we were making these ribbons. The art teacher would print them, and they would be sold on Fridays. When I was in fourth grade, they circulated this exact ribbon. I think they just pulled it out of their book and reprinted it," said Simpson.
Howerton said she contacted several Choctaw councilmembers, as well as the State Board of Education, and filed a civil rights complaint.
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