Will Phil see his shadow on February 2nd?
RECORD
The Modoc County Vol. 132, No. 45
Alturas, California
January 30, 2025
$1.00
Serving Modoc Since 1892 16 Pages
SFHC Native Youth Board Leads Effort to Preserve Modoc Braves Mascot Amid New State Law The Strong Family Health Center’s (SFHC) Native Youth Board consisting of Chairperson Saige Townsend-Brown: Pit River Kosalekte and Paiute, Vice-Chairperson Justin Holloway: La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians, Secretary Savannah French-Connors: Pit River Madesi and Member Betty George: Pit River Madesi and Atsugewi was made aware of the new law being passed with California Assembly Bill 3047 - School or Athletic Team Names: California Racial Mascots Act with an Effective Date of July 1st, 2026. This new law will require all schools within the State of California having any native name as their mascot to change their mascot name and all associated items including uniforms, logos, scoreboards, swag, etc. This will directly affect Modoc Joint Unified School District (MJUSD) and the Modoc Braves which has had the Modoc Braves Mascot for 94 years. The youth board voted in October 2024 to take up the challenge of working to
save the Modoc Braves and Modoc Warriors Mascots. After seeking some advice on where to begin this monumental challenge they reached out to Assembly Member Heather Hadwick for information. From there the youth board went to brainstorming and came up with a plan of action. They invited MJUSD Superintendent Tom O’Malley to their next board meeting. After gathering more information, the SFHC Youth Board Members went to work and composed a letter to the MJUSD Board of Directors. Next, they made up signature pages and put their feet on the ground getting signatures of support to maintain the Modoc Braves Mascot from other native students in the school district. After gathering these signatures, the board members went to the MJUSD Board Meeting on January 14, 2025 and presented the attached letter with all the signature pages asking for their support in keeping the Modoc Braves Mascot. Their
effort was well received by the MJUSD Board and Superintendent O’Mally has since approached the Pit River Tribal Council and attended council
meetings to present the letter of support from the SFHC Youth Board. Due in part to all their efforts, the SFHC Native Youth Board has been
Strong Family Health Center Native Youth Board 1203 Oak Street, Alturas, CA 96101 530-233-4591
December 11th, 2024 To whom it may concern, We are writing this letter on behalf of the Strong Family Health Center Native Youth Board. We would like to introduce our board members. Chairwoman: Saige Townsend-Brown (Pit River, Kosalekte and Paiute), Vice Chairman: Justin Holloway (La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians), Secretary/ Treasurer: Savannah French-Connors (Pit River, Madesi) and Board Member Betty George (Pit River, Madesi and Atsugewi). In regards to California Assembly Bill 3074 titled California Racial Mascots Act - effective July 1, 2026. Our Native Youth Board strongly disagrees with this bill being passed. We would like to retain our mascot the Modoc Braves. Our school was built on Native Tribal Land, we have all attended Modoc Joint Unified School District since a very young age. We have grown up in this community on these tribal lands. We live here, our parents live here, our grandparents live here and we are proud of that fact. We view the Modoc Braves mascot as a symbol of pride in our area, it is our heritage. Our youth board, in no way, feels that “Braves” is a derogatory Native American term.
All the horrible things that white people have done to the Native American people throughout history cannot be erased by changing all the Native mascots in the state or nation. History cannot be rewritten; the past cannot be cancelled and the atrocities that occurred should never be forgotten. We have endured having our land, our language and our culture taken from us. Native people have experienced years of multi-generational trauma starting in 1819 with the passing of the Indian Civilization Act expressly intended to “implement cultural genocide through the removal and reprogramming of American Indian and Alaska Native children to accomplish the systematic destruction of Native cultures and communities”. In 1869 the Peace Policy was passed in which the stated purpose of this policy was to “Kill the Indian, save the man!” By 1926, 83% of Native American children were attending boarding schools against their will. The truth about Indian boarding schools has been written out of history books and this bill is just one more step to remove all Native American history. Modoc High School in Alturas, CA was built in
the early 1930’s, identifying as the Modoc Braves for 94 years. Our school has worked with local tribes (Pit River, Northern Paiute, Fort Bidwell, Alturas Rancheria and Cedarville Rancheria) currently and in the past to ensure there is no disrespect towards Native people. Improvements have been made in how the mascot looks and represents our school and students. The Modoc Braves mascot has always been a symbol of pride and respect for our culture and community. The cost of changing the mascot would be substantial. The Braves mascot and colors are intertwined into every We Stand with The Braves,
aspect of our school and community. It would be more than indoor and outdoor scoreboards, the gymnasium floor, school uniforms and logos that need changed. Our community is a huge support to our school with the Braves mascot in buildings and on seating and clothing. We are asking you, the Modoc Joint Unified School District Board to join us in our efforts to retain and preserve the Modoc “Braves” mascot for our school and our entire community. This would ensure our Native American History will never be forgotten. “A-Ya” Thank you!
invited to the State Capital in Sacramento, CA for a VIP Tour and to meet with some Tribal lobbyists. This trip is currently in the planning stages. The
SFHC Youth Board would like to thank the MJUSD Board of Directors and Superintendent Tom O’Malley for hearing what they had to say.
Mt. Shasta Man Killed in Single-Vehicle Crash on State Route 139 A 45-year-old man from Mt. Shasta died early Sunday in a single-vehicle crash on State Route 139 between Adin and Susanville, authorities said. The California Highway Patrol reported that the crash occurred at approximately 3:50 a.m. when the man, driving a Ford pickup truck, lost control of the vehicle. The truck left the roadway,
resulting in fatal injuries. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. His name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, according to the Lassen County Coroner’s Office. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. No further details have been released. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.