Civil Rights

The future of hundreds of investigations into possible civil rights violations at schools across the Midwest, and thousands more nationwide, are in question after the Trump Administration shuttered seven of 12 Department of Education offices charged with running the investigations.

The Midgets mascot originated roughly 90 years ago. If passed by Illinois lawmakers, the bill would require the Metro East high school to change by September 2028.

Advocates have said Freeburg's mascot, the "Midgets” to be derogatory, objectifying and dehumanizing. A bill proposed in the Illinois General Assembly would ban public schools from using derogatory names for people with disabilities as mascots.