Disney says it regrets allowing racist dance routine where dancers shouted 'scalp 'em'

Disney World says it regrets performance given by a Texas high school drill team that used racist Native American stereotypes.

Tara Houska, a tribal attorney, posted the video to Twitter criticizing the dancing and chanting of the Port Neches-Groves High School 'Indianettes' drill team.

"Cuz a bunch of kids in fringe chanting “scalp ‘em Indians, scalp ‘em” is honor, right?" Houska said. "And any Natives who attend [Port Neches-Groves High School] should prolly just accept their classmates dehumanizing them cuz 'tradition', right?"

Disney World received backlash on social media from people who shamed the theme park for allowing the Texas high school's racist dance and mascot to perform.

"We regret this performance took place as it did not reflect the audition tape that was submitted," Jacquee Whaler a spokesperson for Disney said in a statement. "We have immediately put measures in place to ensure performances reflect the auditions."

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In the video, members of the drill team march down Main Street USA dressed in costumes with fringe accents while chanting "scalp 'em, Indians, scalp 'em".

In other surfaced videos, the drill team members can be seen tapping their hands over their mouths and whooping to the beat of a drum in the background, in a stereotypical 'war cry.'

A spokesperson for the Port Neches-Groves Independent School District released a statement to KDFM saying, "NGISD is aware of the concern regarding the performance of our band and Indianettes at Disney World. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our school district."

The footage of the drill team received over 1.5 million views and broadcast news coverage. Port Neches-Grove High School deleted its social media following the backlash.

According to a report from the WDWNT, the 'Indianettes' were asked to not wear headdresses during their performance at Magic Kingdom, indicating the park knew about the high school's mascot and controversial outfits.

"The live performance in our park did not reflect our core values, and we regret it took place," Whaler said in the statement.

The statement from Disney World did not specify the measures put into place to ensure performances reflect auditions.

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