BENSON, Minn. – The Minnesota Legislature passed a law last year forcing any school district with a potentially offensive sports team name or mascot to change them, and while the Benson Braves were among the couple dozen districts targeted, they say they’re taking a “wait-and-see” attitude for now, but lawmakers may be asked to fund the change.
Superintendent Dennis Laumeyer said the school district requested an exemption from the state’s 11 Native American Tribes and The Tribal Nation’s Education Committee, but has only heard back from four of the tribes and the committee and the results varied.
“We had one that supported the continued use of our name and logo and we had another response that said they were neutral, we had one that was specifically opposed with their name and logo so this is kind of mixed responses that were received to our exemption request,” Laumeyer said.
Laumeyer said they needed unanimous support from the tribes to get the exemption. Due to the estimated cost of $1 million, Laumeyer said Benson will seek help from the legislature to pay for the change.
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