Students' 'Siouxper Drunk' T-Shirts Spark Ire

North Dakota group wears shirts with beer-drinking logo
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted May 13, 2014 12:37 PM CDT
Students' 'Siouxper Drunk' T-Shirts Spark Ire
In this March 22 2010, file photo, an American Indian head logo stands on the exterior of Ralph Engelstad Arena, a sports arena on the University of North Dakota campus in Grand Forks, ND.   (AP Photo/Dale Wetzel, File)

University of North Dakota students are taking heat—not least from their school's president—after photos showed 10 of them in T-shirts reading, "Siouxper Drunk." The shirts were apparently for a spring festival this weekend, and they show an image that looks a lot like the university's former Fighting Sioux logo drinking from a beer bong, KSFY reports. The NCAA called that logo "hostile and abusive," and the state voted to get rid of it in 2012, Gawker reports. One member of the group tweeted, "Our Springfest shirts will make the news I just know it lol."

"I was appalled to learn this weekend that a group of individuals had the poor judgment and lack of awareness and understanding to create and then wear T-shirts that perpetuated a derogatory and harmful stereotype of American Indians," says university president Robert Kelley in a statement, saying the shirts show "a complete lack of respect for American Indians and all members of the community." He notes that the shirts weren't worn at an official school event. It's unclear whether the students will be disciplined. Notes a blogger at Last Real Indians:

  • "The Fighting Sioux-esque ‘Siouxper Drunk’ tees worn at UND’s Springfest by UND students are proof positive that Native mascots are harmful and degrading to Native people, and that retiring all race-based mascots is not only appropriate, but necessary."
(More University of North Dakota stories.)

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