A bill introduced in the Illinois General Assembly would prohibit public schools from using discriminatory references to disabilities as mascots — requiring Freeburg High School to phase out Midgets by 2028.
Little people with dwarfism consider the term to be dehumanizing and derogatory.
“We don't want to erase history,” said Shelby Holloway, co-director of Mascots Matter, a national advocacy organization, at a press conference last week in Springfield. “We don't want to erase tradition, but we want society to move forward and understand what the meaning of this word carries and the weight that it carries.”
Representatives of the school district did not respond to a request for comment. However, the village’s mayor said he believes changing the mascot would be unpopular.
“I think it's hogwash myself,” said Seth Speiser, mayor of the village of nearly 5,000 people. “Once a Midget always Midget — that's our motto around here. And I think 100% of people agree with me on that issue.”
The mascot originated roughly 90 years ago when a local sportswriter used the nickname to describe the school’s basketball team because its tallest player was 5-foot-10 when it defeated an unbeaten team, according to the district's website.
Speiser said he and other Freeburg natives believe the mascot isn’t meant to be offensive. He said he understands that others disagree and hopes the school will keep it as long as it can.
“Just because of a couple people that don't even live here, dictating what we can call our high school, I don't think it's right,” Speiser said.
This is not the first time the school has faced pressure to change.
Mascots Matter recently filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Education against the St. Clair County school district, alleging the mascot breaks federal discrimination law.
The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, would require Freeburg and others to remove the name, logo, mascot and other relevant material, in addition to picking a new mascot in a little more than three years.
“Words matter,” said Gary Arnold, a staff member of the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, at the same press conference. “A derogatory mascot in Illinois, or in other states, affects me, who lives on the other side of Illinois, and they affect people with dwarfism, their families and their communities — wherever they live.”
Freeburg is also not the only school that uses Midgets as its mascot. Mascots Matter is advocating that four other schools, including Putnam County High School in north-central Missouri, change, too.
“We are human beings. We are mothers,” said Rachel Wherley, Mascots Matter’s founder and other co-director. “We are people who show up and get things done. We worry about the economy. We are normal people, and we are treated like something different. We don't want that anymore.”
