Gov. Scott Walker Waiting It Out on Wisconsin's Native American Mascot Bill

As the Washington Redskins fend off demands from American Indian groups to change their name, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is mulling a bill pertaining to this on the high school level.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker presides over a ceremony to light the 30-foot balsam fir Christmas tree in the state Capitol rotunda on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer) AP Photo/Scott Bauer

In the backdrop issues states are dealing with such as the headwinds of Obamacare implementation, budgeting and the upcoming midterm elections, what high schools are calling their mascots might seem relatively minor.

But entering a reelection year, Walker appears to be approaching the potentially divisive matter with caution, the Associated Press reports.

The Republican-controlled state legislature passed a bill to make it more difficult for school boards to strip schools of mascots named for American Indians.

Walker told reporters on Thursday that he isn't focused on the mascot bill that passed last month, but will “look at it some point in the future.”

Walker has until Dec. 12 to either signs nor veto the bill, or else it will automatically become law six days later.

Opponents of the bill allege it is racist, but supporters of the legislation argue the state's system for stripping schools of certain mascots is flawed.

(H/T: WISC-TV)

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