Port Neches Grove receives backlash after performance at Disney

Port Neches-Groves image

Port Neches-Groves High School is under fire for depictions of Native American stereotypes.

Lucas Botello, Print Editor

Walt Disney World has reportedly denounced a routine by a Texas high school drill team that was accused of “racism” and borrowing from Native American stereotypes during a recent performance there.

The Port-Neches Grove High School marching band and drill team, The Indianettes, performed at Disney World in Orlando Florida recently. The school performed their fight song, and the drill team did an exhibition for the people at the park. The performance was filled with Native American stereotypes including cries of “scalp them!”

Disney later apologized for the performance, claiming that the video sent to them by the school did not include the drill team and fight song. Disney later said that the dance “did not reflect our core values, and we regret it took place.”

The school claims that the performance had been done in years past when the school goes to Disney and no problem had been brought up before about anything they have done. The school has also now deleted all of the social media accounts for the band and drill team after the backlash from their performance.

The Cherokee Nation is now commenting on the controversy and has released a statement criticizing the Port Neches-Groves H.S. Indianettes performance, with the tribe’s Principal Chief saying, “Port Neches-Groves Independent School District continues to use offensive and stereotypical depictions of our tribe, and this is yet again exampled by their cheer team recently in Orlando. For the past couple of years, we have written to the Port Neches superintendent and school board asking them to cease using this offensive imagery, chanting, symbolism and other practices in their school traditions as this does nothing but dishonor us and all Native American tribes who are making great strides in this country. School leaders need educating on cultural appropriateness, should apologize for continuing to ignore our requests to stop and need to make swift changes to correct these offensive displays across their school district.”

Although many are asking for the school mascot to change, the district has remained silent.

“We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our school district,” it said in a statement on the district’s website. “Our district is nearing 100 years old, and our Board of Trustees is committed to always making the best decisions for our students, staff, and the communities of Port Neches and Groves.”