By Patrick Lynn

Governor Scott Walker Thursday signed Assembly Bill 297 into law, making it harder to force schools to drop Native American nicknames from sports teams.

Walker sent a letter to tribal leaders Thursday morning informing them he would sign the bill. He says he has concerns about offensive uses of about tribal mascots and nicknames, but said ultimately free speech had to prevail.

The governor’s office released the following statement about the new law:

After careful consideration of the arguments, both for and against this bill, I have decided to sign it into law.  The bill creates a process by which the citizens in the communities affected have input and direct involvement in the undertaking of changing a school mascot.

I am very concerned about the principle of free speech enshrined in our U.S. Constitution.  If the state bans speech that is offensive to some, where does it stop? A person or persons’ right to speak does not end just because what they say or how they say it is offensive.  Instead of trying to legislate free speech, a better alternative is to educate people about how certain phrases and symbols that are used as nicknames and mascots are offensive to many of our fellow citizens.  I am willing to assist in that process.

With that in mind, I personally support moving away from nicknames or mascots that groups of our fellow citizens find seriously offensive, but I also believe it should be done with input and involvement at the local level.

Assembly Bill 297 is 2013 Wisconsin Act 115.

You can read the entire Act here.