Chiefs, warriors, raiders, and chieftains, are all popular names for mascots in Western Wisconsin high schools, based on American Indian images—but all of those mascots could soon disappear.

Democratic lawmakers are proposing a bill that would require the state to investigate complaints about American Indian mascots in Wisconsin schools.

If the complaints are justified, the state Department of Public Instruction would have to order the school to drop the mascot or logo within a year or face fines of up to $1,000 a day.

The principal of Cornell High School, David Elliott, tells WEAU 13 News his small community doesn't view the use of the name "Chiefs" as offensive, but he says the school has made changes in recent years to make the its image more politically correct.

"The traditional chief headdress was something I found we had in the 60's, 70's 80's, and early 90's. The traditional Indian head or headdress mascot was prevalent among most of the east Lakeland schools that had Native American logo mascots,” says Elliott.

Elliott says his school decided to modify its logo more than a decade ago, going to the plain capital "C" on letterman jackets and uniforms, but keeping its name "the Chiefs".

"We don't do the caricatures, we don't do anything that will bring upon shame in our opinion," says Elliott.

Elliott says most letters of protests have come from outside the community.

"We do have some students here who are tribal carrying members, and I’ve never heard it been an issue. But, I’ve never asked,” says Elliott.

Elliott says six other schools in the Lakeland Conference have American Indian mascots, including the Winter Warriors, who share a baseball team with students from the La Courte Oreilles reservation.

"The Winter Warriors have a Native American as their symbol but it applies to honor and respect and it's a reflection of what they want to represent,” says Elliott.

If the bill in the state legislature would pass, teams may need to change their mascots, logos, and even their names.

"Then it's going to cost us in the thousands because all the uniforms and some of our placards,” says Elliott. “But if it needs to be done, it needs to be done."

The Department of Public Instruction will hold a hearing on this issue in Madison on March 17th.