Marysville High School in Northern California has retired its nearly century-old "Indians" mascot after a state law banning Native American school mascots came into effect on Wednesday. The measure, an extension of the California Racial Mascot Act signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2024, prohibits public schools from using derogatory Native American terms as team names, mascots or nicknames, unless the school is run by a tribal organisation or has the consent of a federally recognised tribe. The case matters as an example of the tensions such bans create between state policy and local communities attached to long-standing traditions.

Marysville Joint Unified School District said it recognised the deep history and strong community connection to the mascot, and had met local tribal representatives to seek written consent but could not secure it before the deadline. Superintendent Jordan Reeves said tribal leaders have largely remained neutral for now. The district has no plans to adopt a replacement and intends to keep pursuing permission from a local, federally recognised tribe that would allow it to retain the mascot under the law's provisions. Marysville was among several California schools required to drop such mascots.