A Columbus Dispatch report published this weekend polled the athletic programs of 79 Ohio school districts that use Native American team names and mascots — 24 of those use the name Indians, 11 use Redskins, five refer to themselves as Redmen and, the Dispatch says, other team mascots and names include Apaches, Arrows, Braves, Chieftains, Chipps, Mohawks, Raiders, Seminoles, Senecas and Warriors.
Motivated by changes in professional sports and by national conversations around racial justice, at least 13 of them are considering changes.
The Dispatch found that three districts in Cincinnati had already changed their names and that five districts statewide had de-emphasized Native logos or branding.
Cincinnati’s Forest Hills Board of Education voted on July 2 to retire the Anderson High School Redskins mascot. In a release about the decision, the board said it came after “community discussion, input and significant work to support inclusivity and diversity across the district.”
On their Twitter, the National Congress of American Indians thanked Anderson High School for standing on the “right side of history.”
In July, Winton Woods also officially retired its Chieftain mascot, a process which it says it began five years ago by removing the logo from school marketing and paraphernalia.
“With a diverse student body and 31 spoken languages, it is a priority and imperative that we continue to create a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all of our students and families,” said Winton Woods Superintendent Anthony G. Smith in a statement.
And in August, Cincinnati Country Day voted to retire its Indian mascot based on “a plea from the executive director of the Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition for Country Day to cease use of its Native American mascot; the importance of teaching respect for all people in delivering our mission and preparing students for college and life; (and) a desire that our learning environment be vibrant, inclusive, and diverse, where every individual feels they belong,” reads a release from the Country Day Board of Trustees. “A strong body of evidence demonstrates use of Native American mascots reinforces stereotypes that marginalize all people of color.”
They’ll use this year to replace the Indian mascot on things like uniforms, scoreboards and signage, and be referred to as Cincinnati County Day during games.
In reference to the schools who have de-emphasized their mascots: In Cleveland, Fairview Park High School last year adopted a new Warrior mascot. Many of the “Warrior” logos at Ohio high schools use Native imagery. Others, like Fairview Park’s new one, now employ a Spartan or Trojan theme.
In 2018, the Talawanda School District near Oxford, Ohio removed their Native American mascot and changed their name from “Braves” to the more abstract “Brave.” That decision was preceded by a letter from the Native American Rights Fund detailing the harmful effects of the mascot.
Lebanon and Goshen schools districts both use Warriors for their team name, with caricatures of Native Americans, as well as spears (Lebanon’s athletics page says “fear the spear” as its motto). Indian Hill’s team name is currently the Braves.
Todd Yohey, Superintendent of Lebanon City Schools, says they don’t currently have any plans to change their name or mascot and it has not been discussed by the Board of Education.
Kirk Koennecke, Superintendent of Indian Hill Exempted Village School District, says, “Indian Hill has a standard ‘IH’ official logo that has been used for many years now, and no official mascot. To date, the Board has not addressed changing the name.”
Goshen Superintendent Darrell Edwards, says, “At this point in time, our schools have been focusing on how to safely reopen during the time of the COVID 19 pandemic and had not entered into any official discussions on the topic. No one has addressed the topic with the Board of Education to date and that is probably related to the fact that Native American images have rarely been associated with the ‘Warrior’ in recent years in our district. Typically we have used the ‘Warrior’ name to talk about growth mindset, grit, and a never give up attitude. The Goshen Local Schools Board of Education values sensitivity, inclusivity, equality, and diversity and will undertake this and all similar discussions with those values in mind.”
This article appears in The Burger Issue 2020.
