Editor’s note: This video is from March 10, 2025
FREEBURG, Ill. – An Illinois House Bill, which seeks to prohibit disability mascots, has moved its way to the Senate, following a 71-38 vote.
For its third reading, the Illinois General Assembly met on April 8 to discuss HB 3527, which was filed by Representative Maurice A. West II.
This bill would create a Prohibition of Discriminatory Disability Mascots Act. From the bill’s language, this act would restrict a public education institution from the adoption or continued use of discriminatory disabled mascots.
Five public schools in the United States use the “Midget” name for their mascots. One of the schools that sport the image is Freeburg High School, known as the “Mighty Midgets” for nine decades.
Back in March, the school faced many forms of pushback for its name among community members and advocacy groups like Mascots Matters.
Others, however, argued that the “Mighty Midgets” name was not meant to be offensive.
“I don’t think it’s necessary to change it after all these years. I mean, I live right across the street from the high school and we always see the sign and it doesn’t offend us at all. And after all these years, I think it would be very odd to change it,” said resident Bonnie McCain previously in March. No one would know who it is.”
The mascot’s name originates back to the ‘30s, when a sportswriter gave inspiration to the nickname after Freeburg High’s basketball team—despite having no player taller than 5-foot-10—defeated a much taller, yet undefeated opponent.
With the House Bill moving to the Senate, advocates like Rachel Wherley reflected on the matter with FOX2Now today.
Wherley is also the founder and co-director of Mascots Matter, a grassroots organization that advocates for inclusivity.
“(I was feeling) very emotional,” Wherley explained. “I am a stay-at-home mom and I have achondroplasia dwarfism.”
According to Wherley, the controversy surrounding Freeburg High’s mascot identity, the “Mighty Midgets,” is a “school board issue” when it comes to addressing the sensitivity of the name. Wherley says she and her group brought forward concerns about Freeburg High’s name to the school board.
“It’s a school board issue, but its members refuse to act,” Wherley said.
FOX2Now reached out to Freeburg High’s administration, including its superintendent, principal and assistant principal in response to Wherley’s claims and is awaiting a response.
Mascots Matter, however, expressed appreciation for the Illinois House of Representatives’ decision:
“This bill marks a significant step forward in affirming the dignity and humanity of individuals with disabilities, particularly those with dwarfism who have long endured the harm caused by derogatory mascot names such as ‘Midget,’ wrote Erin Elswood, co-director of Mascots Matter. “We especially want to thank Representative Maurice West for championing this legislation, along with all of the bill’s chief and co-sponsors who stood in support of this meaningful change. Their leadership sends a powerful message: that students with disabilities deserve to attend schools without being dehumanized or reduced to outdated and offensive caricatures.”
If HB 3527 is implemented, public educational institutions may continue to use uniforms or other materials that have the prohibited name/image before the effective date of the Act until Sept. 1, 2028.