New CA law speeds process, but schools have long reckoned with racist names, logos
The 2025-26 academic year is nearing its end at most California schools, and when the next one begins, there’ll be a new law in place pertaining to schools’ team names and mascots.
Assembly Bill 3074, an expansion of the California Racial Mascots Act, was passed by the Legislature in 2024 and goes into effect July 1 of this year. It bars California public schools, except those operated by an Indian tribe or that have obtained the written consent of a local tribe, from using a “derogatory Native American” term in school nicknames or mascots.
The language of the law lists “Apaches, Big Reds, Braves, Chiefs, Chieftains, Chippewa, Comanches, Indians, Savages, Squaw, and Tribe,” along with the previously prohibited “Redskins” as derogatory, while also noting this list as nonexhaustive.
While not included in that list, the Hiram Johnson Warriors and Native American imagery throughout the Sacramento City Unified School District campus have come into the spotlight recently. The district’s trustees in a board meeting last week directed staff to initiate the process of removing offensive imagery from the campus as soon as possible.
Hiram Johnson’s principal, Garrett Kirkland, defended the Warriors name as one that students and alumni take pride in and said the large mural in the school’s gymnasium depicting a Native American man wearing a bonnet and regalia is not offensive.
At least one other Northern California campus has just under two months remaining to come into compliance with the law.
Marysville High in Yuba County opened in 1871 and has gone by the Indians nickname since the late 1920s. The school emblem features a block M with two hatchets, including at the front of the school.
Some emblems for paperwork for school-related functions such as Hall of Fame banquets, include an Indian caricature in a headdress with “Home of the Indians” across the top. The gym floor has a block M painted at midcourt.
School officials could not be immediately reached by The Sacramento Bee for an update on their compliance with AB 3074.
While the law sets a July 1 deadline and accelerates timetables, the change away from caricature Native American mascots is not a new issue or challenge for public high schools. There have been mascot changes across the country for decades.
- In the Sacramento area, Encina High of the San Juan Unified School District, which opened the same year as Johnson in 1958, changed from Apaches to Bulldogs in 1989.
- At Colusa High, some 65 miles north of Sacramento, the school switched from Redskins to Redhawks in 2011. Vallejo High in Solano County changed from Apaches to Redhawks in 2014. Armijo High in nearby Fairfield went from Indians to Royals in 2019. Calaveras High of San Andreas in 2022 switched from Redskins to simply Reds.
- In Yolo County, Winters High has gone by Warriors since 1939 after decades of having no mascot. From 1939 through 2017, the Winters mascot depicted a tribal chief in a headdress with a spear and feathers. Since 2017, after community discussions about a more respectful representation, Winters High changed its image to a bold red W with a spear.
- Galt High School went by the Milkers for decades before a switch to Willy the Warrior in 1936. By the late 1990s, controversy about the mascot led to heated district meetings, some pushing for change and others pushing to hold onto tradition. The Galt school board voted to retain the Warrior name and updated the image to a block G with a feather.
Still, the issue is one that continues to spark discussion.
Kirkland, the Hiram Johnson principal, said earlier this week: “I’m on a campus where 99% of students will be back on campus tomorrow, and we want to make every day better. We want to be authentic to the school.
“If people want an open forum about this topic here, we’ll do it,” Kirkland continued, “but I never hear complaints about the image.”
This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 11:52 AM with the headline "New CA law speeds process, but schools have long reckoned with racist names, logos."