All Rights Reserved. Still, as efforts by the district to find the new symbol for Sandusky increased, so did vocal contention among the community, prompting an unofficial survey on the matter to be mailed out this fall. School attendance zone. After 14 people spoke, Bollheimer, whose husband and four children attended Fort Loramie, was disappointed to hear that Redskins was going to stay. Reo said it remains a sore spot for some in his southwest Michigan town, where the nickname had been the same for nearly 80 years. Last month, a representative from the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe gave a presentation to the board about the historical use of Native American mascots. The next year, Eastern Michigan University brought significant attention to the conversation when it ruled its "Hurons"nickname was offensive. Those relationships are so important to work together as a community and honor each others cultures, Chambers, 67, said. Support our mission. Shop www.rokkitwear.com for ALL of your school's official merchandise! Terpenning began his position three years ago and says he hasnt had a local complaint, so hes not ready to budge. As the tribal chairperson of the Sault Ste. The new wolf mascot at Paw Paw Middle School is displayed on banners throughout the school Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021. Sandusky High School - Class of 1975 - Classreport.org Fifteen schools use "Warriors," but not all are based on Native American ideology. The other nicknames within Michigan that some tribes consider objectionable: Blackhawks/ Black Hawks (4), Chippewas (1), Eskymos (1), Hurons (1), Mohawks (1), Northmen (1) and Redmen (1). The Cleveland MLB team is considering retiring its Indians nickname. This school is above the state average in key measures of college and career readiness. The Saranac school board last week voted to "respectfully retire the Redskin mascot." Camden-Frontier schools in Hillsdale County and the Sandusky district in Sanilac County still call themselves . The MLBs Atlanta Braves and NFLs Kansas City Chiefs are facing pressure to review theirs. The differences arent reasons to go to war or argue.. . After the fire, the area became the agricultural powerhouse that it is today. Hes calling on Ted Roll, the chief of the Wyandotte of Anderdon Nation, for advice. Feehan recounted that, Instead of hearing laughter and excitement in the halls, we heard Can someone get them to stop coming to our games and asking us to sign a piece of paper? By Wm. Bollheimer grew up 15 miles from her current home, and she remains loyal to a community so tightknit that she has the same first and last name as her husbands cousin who lives in town. Sandusky is now one of just three, including one planning to change soon. About 13 years ago, Ann Bollheimers son came home from his first semester at Ohio University, where a class on difficult dialogues had him thinking about the team name and logo at his local high school. New Boston Huron High School superintendent Donovan Rowe is in the process of putting together an exploratory advisory committee, which will include members of local tribes, to help make a decision on the "Chiefs" nickname. Our ancestry, were entitled to this.. The vote to become the Sandusky Wolves takes place almost half a year after the board retired the Redskin name in April, with board members Jason Trepkowski, Daniel Gerstenberger, Susan Dreyer and Jane Jacobson voting Monday to adopt the change, while members Bob Hassler, Carolyn Stoutenburg and Norah Harding voted against. Amanda Blackhorse, a Navajo who served as the lead plaintiff in the legal case that challenged the NFL Redskins trademark protection, is among those activists. "Over the past five years, we've gone away from identifying our uniforms with a mascot to just saying 'Sandusky' on them," Flynn said. And then there were three mascot nominations, that is, with Sandusky Community Schools Superintendent Paul Flynn announcing so in a press release this morning. However, the agency did not accept the grant application. Sandusky High School . Sandusky High School's mascot has been a Redskin since 1940. In the 1940s, the Native American logo was attached until its removal in February 2020. Tahquamenon Area Schoolssuperintendent Stacy Price, who oversees Newberry High, said nothing will change about the "Indians" nickname without negative local feedback. The debate over Native American sports mascots has been contentious, with many people on both sides, and even many Native Americans on both sides. Sandusky High School - Class Reunion Websites - Classreport.org Nicknames such as "Redskins" and "Big Reds" might be on the way out, but "Chiefs,""Indians"and "Braves" remain highly contested. Our native population, they embrace the Chiefs and stand behind it. As we know today, thats a horrid position for an educator to take. Union had used the nickname since 1924. A survey wassent out to parents, students and staff in October andasked for their input. The Free Press reached out to more than 20 high school administrators overseeing schools with Native American nicknames or logos last week. Tweets by mascotdb Native American Mascots used in MHSAA schools, Chesaning High School uses the Indians mascot name, with a Native American with feathers as their mascot logo. Classreport.org provides free Class Reunion Websites for every graduating class of every high school, with free access for all class members. Ive learned a lot in this class, Bollheimer said her son Zachary told her, and youre not going to want to hear it.. Mascots matter: Foundation tackles cultural insensitivity one grant at Michael Dixon Tribune Recorder Leader Love it or hate it, the Sandusky mascot is now the Wolves, thanks in part to a 4-3 vote at the school board meeting Monday night. First published on November 2, 2021 / 1:50 PM. Two syllables fit with our cheers. But it's also exciting too that we'll have a new mascot.". Mascot options of The Storm, The Ravens and The Knights were chosen as possible replacements. The board then welcomed feedback from the larger community inNovember. The Washington NFL team needs to clean up [its] mess and help get those schools to change their names, Blackhorse wrote in a text message. Four Michigan schools shared most of $480,000 available this year from theMichigan Native American Heritage Fund. GreatSchools is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, How do high schools help students succeed in college? The Washington Football Teams 18-month rebrand was extensive. Sandusky High School Apparel Store | Sandusky Michigan - Rokkitwear He went on, noting that the class of 2023 is different from his graduating class or any alumnis class because, Theyve become weak-minded and in body because they dont have anything to call their name, their logo, to fight for. He then insisted he meant no disrespect or to insult the students in attendance, but added that, due to generational differences, the current students need to learn from the older Sandusky alum what being a Redskin is all about.. When Washingtons NFL team, under pressure from corporate sponsors and shareholders, abandoned the nickname that the franchise had used since 1933, 49 school districts in the United States used it for their athletic programs, according to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). Support local journalism, and subscribe here. The district said when it began the process earlier this year minimal money would be spent out of the district's general fund budget. Teams. Sandusky (MI) High School Sports - Football, Basketball, Baseball In Ohio, where Bollheimer lives, Clevelands baseball team has retired its Indians nickname, and the legacy of Chief Wahoo, and will begin next season as the Guardians. The Native American Heritage Fund in June that it would grant a portion of $480,000 to four school districts: Chippewa Hills School District in Mecosta County, Hartford Public Schools in Van Buren County, Saranac Community Schools in Ionia County and the Lansing School District for Sexton High Schools Redskins mascot. But she is hopeful that more will eventually join her in understanding that the need for tradition and connection shouldnt involve the belittling of other groups. The story of the Phoenix rising from the ashes refers to both our local history of the Great Fire of 1882 and our communitys journey to pick a new mascot. [These are the Michigan high school nicknames some Native Americans find offensive], If your nickname or your mascot is getting in the way of what youre trying to accomplish as a district, (then) you need to look at it, Paw Paw superintendent Rick Reo explained. Sandusky was one of just two schools in Michigan still using the mascot. Its about education. Paw Paw High School operated under "Redskins" for close to a century, but in March it retired its name and mascot an indigenous man in a headdress after a 6-1 school board vote, and later became the "Red Wolves.". "So if the process takes longer than a couple of months, then we're going to take a few more months. A group of coyotes is called a band(or Wolfpack) could be the title of the student section at events. After sharing research that informed her opinion, the response Beatty received from the individual was that all our teachers and school board do is lie and feed false information to my fellow students and I pertaining to the reason for changing the mascot. After nearly a yearlong battle and accompanying controversy, the Sandusky Board of Education voted 4-3 Monday night to adopt the Sandusky Wolves as the newest mascot/logo, a decision that brought applause from at least one group in attendance Sandusky students and their school councils representatives. Non-native people have adopted identities for their own purposes. The decision leaves the state with just two schools using the Redskins mascot Camden-Frontier and Sandusky after Clinton and Paw Paw dropped it in 2020, out of the Michigan High School . Wolves; New Sandusky Mascot - Tribune Recorder Leader As the franchise prepares to unveil its new nickname Wednesday, that number stands at 40 a drop that reflects both the impact of the Washington teams decision and the stubborn reality that in many communities, tradition is still able to outmuscle calls for change. Indians werent the problem for pioneers, the pioneers were the problem for the Indians, she said. While our communitys journey to pick a new mascot has rallied us to come together around something new.Sandusky Ravens: The Raven mascot is uncommon in the area/state. She hasnt forgotten how the franchise posted articles referring to schools that used the nickname, using them as a shield to resist change. Hallway conversation usually focused on what the mascot may be, with students looking forward to new cheers and decorations for the school to accompany it feelings that soured when students heard the communitys response and how the issue was used to attack the administration and school board. Board members Dan Gerstenberger, Norah Harding, Jane Jacobson, Carolyn Stoutenberg and Jason Trepkowski all voted in favor . The contentious topic of the Sandusky mascot is slated to finally be put to bed at the next School Board meeting on November 21st. Facebook page. Were also distraught by the comments that have been made about us, our community, our teachers, our administration and our school board. "After months of discussion, (the board) felt that it was time to take a vote," said Paul Flynn, the superintendent of Sandusky Community Schools. Chambers comments showcase the blurriness within tribal communities over where the offensive dividing line exists, but they dont necessarily represent the views of the majority of Native Americans. Two syllables fit with our existing cheers. I kind of get the Redskins;I understand Paw Paw and Washington changing that. Does this school offer opportunity for all its students, or leave some behind? Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 7/1/2023). When Paul Flynn took over as superintendent of Sandusky Schools, in rural Michigan, in 2017, his was one of six districts in the state using Redskins. The Saranac school board last week voted to "respectfully retire the Redskin mascot.". "That committee will go through those and discuss themamongst the criteria that they agreed upon earlier," Flynn said. Successful schools understand how to. The school requested $160,000 in its grant application, which isamount officials estimate it will cost to rebrand. The school, locatedjust east of Grand Rapids, said in the Facebook post it will "respectfully" retire the mascot. Ours is connected Pokagon Band. In recent years, most schools have taken steps toward inclusion by banning the tomahawk chop, war paint and headdresses; some made significant changes to logos and other aspects of athletic events. Were taking a step back to reevaluate the process to try to get more community input on the next mascot, saidFlynn. It also plans to apply for a grant from the Michigan Native American Heritage Fund, which helps school districts financially replacesuch mascots. But that isn't a hard deadline. Chippewa Valley High School, with one of the largest enrollments in the state, is preparing to begin discussions that could dramatically change the schools history. All contributions will be DOUBLED through June 30! The list below is a sample of available courses at this school. When the names were chosen, it was chosen to show a connection. Sandusky schools leaders retire Redskin logo - Tuscola Today Theres no difference, Echo Hawk said. For the past two seasons, the football program has gone by Union Football Team. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper. But that wasnt enough for a diverse school district where only 25.7 percent of students are White and 4.2 percent identify as Native American. The Sandusky Community Schools Board of Education voted to retire its Redskinmascot at the end of the current school year on Monday night. Saranac in Ionia County and Hartford in Van Buren County are the latest to make the change. In a Facebook post from Oct. 29, Sandusky Community Schools announced that its Board of Education. Dozens of mostly maskless people it was the early months of the pandemic crowded an overflow room to shout down any change, she said. But that, too, is beginning to change. Ask the school what its doing to help students who are behind. The board is searching for other grants as well. The district now plans to rethink the nickname, superintendent Jim Cracraft said. Following two rounds of student surveys that narrowed down the list from 75 official suggestions, the mascot committee now wants community input on the three finalists. At the time, however, a community vote revealed 93.6% of people wanted to keep the "Redskins" nickname. Among those questioned,there was a consistent refrain in labeling nicknames such as"Redskins" which until Monday was championed by the Washington NFL team asracist. However, the administrators, including some who citedsupport from their local tribes,refused to label all Native American nicknames the same way. After the Washington NFL team retired Redskins" on Monday,Cheboygan Area Schools superintendent Paul Clarkcalled Chambers to make sure they were on the same page regarding Cheboygan High School's "Chiefs" nickname. The scalps, known as redskins, were sold as trophies of racial dominance. Certainly, if people want to truly honor native people here in the United States, and elsewhere in the world, it seems the best way would be to make right the things that happened during colonization.. Were grateful that the team is finally on the right side of history, said Crystal Echo Hawk, the chief executive of IllumiNative, a network of activists and tribal leaders who combat racist team mascots. It will go directly to mascot and logo rebranding efforts. "We will partner once again to find a mascot and logo that better embraces our community and vision. But if the local tribe wanted a mascot change, Whan wouldnt hesitate to take the information to the school board. Show your spirit and support your favorite sport and school. Here's how to order it ]. Principal Todd Distelrath acknowledged the "Big Reds" nickname could be considered offensive. It's official: Sandusky School Board votes to retire Redskins mascot Spiegel, main contributor to Save the Sandusky Logo/Mascot, insisted students were afraid to join his cause. The former student and current community member now wishes he never constructed the portraits, explained superintendent Tim Travis, who thinks Saugatuck has a racist mascot and wants change. ', In response, Beatty says that the community member told her that it all comes down to what the taxpayers want. If we wanted to evolve from this uncivilized approach to subjecting Indian children to such racial imagery to a modern educational approach, Payment said, it would be to incorporate American Indian contributionsinto the curriculum., As Chambers puts it: I am far more worried about history just getting rid of us.. A team investigation concluded the woman was lying in an attempt to extort Snyder. Fort Loramie Superintendent Dan Holland did not respond to an email seeking comment, but he has previously expressed support for the Redskins name. "We value our long shared partnership with the Pokagon Board of Potawatomi," Millin wrote. High schools use 'Redskins' as mascot even as Washington NFL team moves To insinuate a change among all schools, White Cloud Public Schoolssuperintendent Edward Canning, whose high school nickname is "Indians," said state leaders would need to make a full-fledged push against offensive Native American nicknames thus drawing a clear line for schools to follow. In 2017, the school board voted 4-3 to keep the name. The money will be distributed in August. Certain tribal communities might have a problem with it. In Fort Loramie, a predominantly White, rural community in western Ohio, the nickname Redskins was so ingrained that an Indian head was plastered on the towns water towers and a life-size statue of a Native American sat atop Redskin Memorial Park. She pointed out that ever since the original mascot committee was formed back in 2020, Sandusky had been different from other school districts across the country, because the committee had sought feedback from the public concerning the mascot/logo changes. The high schools football jerseys have feathers visible from all angles. Sandusky school board replaces Redskins as district logo It's important for us to be a part of that change andmove forward choosing a mascot that the students can be proud of wherever they go and not have to defend their mascot if questioned. We believe that education is a process of human interaction through which individuals grow in their understanding and control of themselves and their environment, so that they . Our Football Team is very proud to be the Redskins, and the community is equally proud of it., As Washington Football Team rebrands, former identity fuels a collectibles market.