VENICE, Fla. — Venice High School's marching band will not perform at Walt Disney World as planned after a back-and-forth with the park over the school's Native American mascot.
Disney had originally approved the band's performance during the Nov. 12 morning parade but walked back its offer after a change in policy, according to a letter sent to parents by Venice Senior High School Principal Zoltan Kerestely.
"Disney has stated that they are not allowing any depiction of Native Americans to be portrayed during events," Kerestely wrote.
Venice High School's mascot is an "Indian" and the logo portrays a man in a Native American headdress in front of the letter "V."
According to the letter, the school was given the option to continue with its planned performance as long as it covered or altered the logo — a move neither Kerestely nor the Sarasota County School Board was willing to do.
Sarasota County Schools provided the following statement:
We are very proud of the Venice High School Band and stand behind our decision to not participate during the Disney event. Our students deserve to be honored and celebrated without having to change their school name or alter the school logo. We will continue to look for other opportunities where our students can be accepted and acknowledged for their superior musical ability.
Kerestely wrote that he reached out to Disney twice and pleaded for the park to reconsider its decision, arguing that the band deserves to be celebrated "without having to change our name or cover our identity."
The students in the band still plan to visit the park without performing.
10 Tampa Bay has reached out to Disney for comment but has not yet heard back.
In March, Disney World ran into a similar issue with Texas high school drill team the "Indianettes." A video of the performance shows members of the drill team tapping their hands over their mouths and whooping, as a drum pounds in the background, in what is stereotypically called a “war cry.” The team also reportedly chanted "scalp them" as part of the routine.
Officials from the park issued a statement saying the performance “did not reflect our core values, and we regret it took place."
The use of Native American mascots has been a topic of discussion locally and across the country.
Cleveland's Major League Baseball team made waves last year by changing its name from the "Indians" to the "Guardians."
Last month, Tampa's Chamberlain High School made the switch from the "Chiefs" to "The Storm" after a push from the student body to move away from insensitive Native American imagery.