Posted on 03/07/2025 12:10:13 PM PST by Red Badger
The Freeburg Community High School "Midgets" mascot, Freeburg Community High School | Facebook
An Illinois legislator from Rockford has filed legislation that would force a Metro East high school to change the nickname it has used for the past 90 years.
State Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, said he is excited that a group called “Mascots Matter” came to him for House Bill 3527.
“It is an important piece of legislation, not just for the sake of reform, but for sake of the mental health of our community,” West said.
The Prohibition of Discriminatory Disability Mascots Act would restrict “a public educational institution from the adoption or continued use of discriminatory disability mascots.”
The measure targets Freeburg Community High School, which is about 300 miles from Rockford and located in state Rep. Kevin Schmidt’s district.
“My wife was a proud Freeburg Midget, my father-in-law a proud Freeburg Midget, brother-in-law a proud Freeburg Midget, all four of my uncles proud Freeburg Midgets, three of my aunts, proud Freeburg Midgets and, of course, my own mother was a proud Freeburg Midget,” Schmidt, R-Millstadt, told The Center Square.
Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities staffer Gary Arnold, former president of the Little People of America, said he visited Freeburg twice with other groups and had conversations with school officials.
“Words matter, and a derogatory mascot in Illinois or in other states affect me, who lives on the other side of Illinois, and they affect people with dwarfism, their families and their communities,” Arnold said.
Schmidt said the school board addressed the issue.
“They’ve decided multiple times to keep the Freeburg Midget mascot. I think it’s a state overreach. West has not contacted me, nor will I expect a call from him. He has no clue about the history of the mascot or if the people of the town want it or not. I think it’s a local issue that should be decided locally,” Schmidt said.
West said he proposed the bill with the spirit of empathy.
“The 'M word' as a slur makes me think of the 'N word' as a slur that’s often-times used on me. It has been used on me even in the position of state representative,” West said.
Four Chicago-area Democrats have signed on as co-sponsors of West’s bill.
The Freeburg Community High School website explains the history behind the nickname.
“According to those interviewed who were students during the 1934-35 school year, the name 'Midgets' was given to the FCHS basketball team by a local newspaper sports writer. That year, the basketball team had a small team with the tallest player at five feet ten inches tall. He was the center … Since the 1934-35 school year the name 'Midgets' has been the loyal team name for many hundreds of Freeburg High School students on all types of teams. It is now held as an affectionate and respectful label,” the article states.
Mascots Matter has also expressed its opposition to the same nickname used by high schools in Unionville, Missouri, Estherville, Iowa, Dickinson, North Dakota, and Butternut, Wisconsin.
The measure would not affect the “midget” class of race cars or youth hockey programs which use the designation for players age 15-18.
midgets matter...
This is what “politics” becomes when you are ruled by a permanent, unchanging, leftist, one-party, behind-the-scenes blob which vets all access to power and survives on ever-increasing debt.
ROTFLOL 🤣😀😜
WOW
Getting up there near Goliath
1 Samuel 17:4, several English translations report that Goliath stood six cubits and a span, or about nine feet nine inches tall.
There’s no getting around the fact that some people just need the crap slapped out of them.
They should change their name to The Pigmies
Randy Newman....Little Criminals...
“Short People got no reason to live”
“Short People got nobody to love”
“They’re gonna get you every time”
“Don’t want no Short People ‘Round here!”
Probably someone whose life is defined by how many real or imagined grievances he can find.
It’s good to know that the General Assembly has all of Illinois’ other business squared away so they can focus on matters such as this.
Since the bill targets teams with “discriminatory disability mascots”, I guess the Alton Amputees and the Decatur Deaf will have to change, too.
That a group of busybodies form a Mascots Matter organization to harass a school district 100 miles away, is a wonder.
It seems pretty common in this day and age, sadly.
Aren’t just about all sports nicknames offensive, to someone, in some context?
Isn’t Chicago White Sox racist? Promoting white over other colors???
What about Boston Celtics, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Minnesota Vikings? Aren’t these offensive to certain ethnic or national groups?
San Diego Padres, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Angels, must be offensive to people of various religious faiths.
Texas Rangers is offensive to the law enforcement agency which goes by that name.
Milwaukee Brewers is offensive to real brewers.
Green Bay Packers is offensive to real meat packers.
I’m sure there are others, but as we see with objections to the Midget name, this can go far beyond objections to Indian nicknames.
I heard they were forced to change it.
It’s a good thing he wasn’t around in the years before the Pekin High School team became the ‘Dragons’ - he probably would’ve had a coronary on the spot.
Some people call him Maurice, but most just call him A-Hole.
Know some folks from Freeburg - nice place, great people.
Unfortunately, they’ll have to play Spin-4-Mascot with the usual boring azz choices...
Lions
Tigers
Bears
Eagles
Hawks (option colors available)
They say if Robert lived he would have kept growing so it’s entirely possible Goliath was 9’9”. What killed Robert was a foot infection in 1940 and sadly enough it was the same year penicillin became available but was not yet widely used until after WW2.
Dang
He's emulating that original magic negro from Illinois by making an issue out of a non-issue. Wants the Little People to rise up and throw off the shackles of their oppressors.
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