LaBouff speaks with Press Herald about schools using Native American imagery

The Portland Press Herald reported a mother of a Micmac Indian who plays football for Lisbon High School said Wells fans and players mocked Native Americans with offensive stereotypes throughout Friday’s game at Wells High School. Jordan LaBouff, an assistant professor of psychology and honors at the University of Maine, said even portrayals of Indians perceived as positive still can have a negative impact. According to LaBouff, several studies have shown that Native American students perform worse academically and imagine fewer future possibilities for themselves in schools that use Native American imagery. “I don’t think anyone in that community is explicitly trying to harm, but the fact is, they are, and the data demonstrates that,” LaBouff said.