Dr. Vallely —
I want to thank you for engaging communities, Native and non-Native, in addressing
the mascot and the many issues that come along with such a disparaging portrayal
of Native peoples. Despite the generally respectful face-to-face interactions that have
transpired, I would like to bring to your attention something that occurred during the
Lancaster School Board meeting held on Monday, March 9, 2015 at the Lancaster High
SchooL auditorium.
Upon exiting the auditorium with my ten month old son on my back, my husband at my
side, and Elmer John and Shannon Mohawk in front of us, two women, one Kelly Hughes
Depczynski, the other I presumed to be her mother, stopped us before we made it to the
main exit, where they had been waiting for what seemed some time since I could hear them
talking outside the auditorium as we gathered our things to leave.
Looking at Elmer, Shannon and then myself and my husband, the unidentified woman said,
“Can I ask you a question?”. Elmer replied yes and I nodded. She said, “When I went here,
I never used that word in a mean or hurtful or hateful way. It was an honor, It meant something
good”. She started shaking her head. Kelly chimed in as the two women became visibly angered
and as Kelly’s daughter started blushing saying “Please mom don’t Please can we just go. StOp”.
Kelly Hughes Depczynski stated, her voice rising to a yelL, “But now we see that is all that you
are! That is all any of you are! Filthy bullies!” (however, she did not go so far as to use the racial
slur). She continued yelling. “How dare you come in here and make me feel like a racist! lam not
a racist! You cannot do that!” . she and the other woman were inches from Elmer’s face and
Shannon began moving closer to Elmer and telling the women to calm down as I encouraged them
to calm down as well.
I said, “Not racist people can do racist things and that’s ok-” before I could finish she cut me off
yelling, “You’re not even from here!” and started charging towards me yelling at me at which point
I ran and retrieved the officer from inside the auditorium since I feared for my safety and the safety
of my ten month old son asleep on my back.
He quickly came out, where Kelly and the other woman were still yelling and attempting
to physically engage Elmer John (getting in his face, pointing in his face, etc). The officer
placed himself between the women (the daughter almost in tears begging her mom to stop)
and instructed them to leave (Show’s over. Let’s go. Outside, Time to leave ladies", etc). At
this point Kelly Hughes Depczynski moved towards me (the officer put his arm out blocking
her path) and shouted, “Let’s take it outside!” implying she wanted to fight She continued
shouting things to the effect of, “yeah we’ll take it outside! We’ll take care of them outside!”
implying by “take care of’ she intended to physically assault a group of people. one whom
had a baby on her back (me). Once outside, Kelly Hughes Depczynski continued yelling, along
with the woman whose name I do not know, at the officer and at us claiming she is not hateful
hurtful, racist and that we have no right to be there making her feel racist.
I have been advised to file a police report if not charges given that these women waited outside
the auditorium to accost harass and attempt to physically engage Native people and since there
is a possibility of encountering Kelly Hughes Depczynski again. I am undecided. However, I
wanted to bring this incident to your attention Dr. Vallely firstly, to thank you, the board and those
you’ve worked with for having the foresight to have police on hand. Secondly, is there is another
opportunity for public or invited input into the matter, I plan to attend. However, given Kelly Hughes
Depczynski’s actions, I respectfully request her presence be banned or highly supervised by a police
officer given that she cannot control herself and attempted to attack a woman carrying a baby.
Again, I thank you and the school board for your efforts Dr. Vallely.
Jodi Lynn Maracle
Originally Posted by shortstuff
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- why not announce her "Political" intentions at the same time she started the "Mascot Outrage Page" ? 
