From professional sports teams to Michigan’s rural school districts, the dialogue regarding the use of Native American imagery, particularly the term ‘Redskins,’ has gained recent momentum on local, state and national levels.
Clinton Community Schools, a district of just over 1,200 students in Lenawee County, is one of the latest in Michigan to take a look at the issue and its use of the "Redskins" as its nickname.
“The Clinton Community Schools Board of Education and administration is aware that recent events have brought about a renewed focus on the District’s use of the Redskin name as a mascot,” Superintendent Jim Cracraft said in a press release. “The district has received communications from individuals both requesting that the District eliminate and retain use of the Redskin name.”
"The District recognizes the concerns that have been raised by both sides and intends to undertake a thorough review of its continued use of the Redskin name," Cracraft added. "As the district further determines and defines the review process, including the strategies to be used to collect input from the community, additional information will be shared."
On July 6, Lyndsey Brown, a 2017 Clinton graduate, created a petition on Change.org that had received more than 1,200 signatures as of Thursday afternoon.
"The school district is long past due to change its representation," the petition reads. "It has been a debate often silenced in the community. The administrators of this educational facility should know the harms of normalizing slurs and racism to young minds. It is time to take action on an issue that is well overdue."
Two days later, a Change.org user named Donald Stump, who identified himself as a nearly 40-year resident of the community, created another petition asking the district to retain the nickname, which has gathered more than 800 signatures.
"Through my time in our schools system I have never, and I repeat NEVER, been exposed to a system of racism, inappropriate cultural appropriation or any administration that has disrespected Native Americans or minorities in any way," the petition reads. "The proposal that some are suggesting to change our name and logo is an extension of an over the top narrative of virtue signaling. "The community that I have been raised in are people of integrity, honor and stand up for the rights of all people."
This isn't the first time the issue has been debated or examined within the district.
In 2010, the Clinton school board used a community vote to get an idea of how its residents felt about the nickname, and 93.6 percent of respondents voted to retain "Redskins," according to Cracraft's press release.
According to data from the Michigan Department of Education, 97.29 percent of students in Clinton Community Schools identified as White during the 2009-10 academic year, and that number was 90.89 percent in 2019-20.
While no change was made to the nickname a decade ago, the district removed some imagery that depicted Native Americans, specifically the use of a Native American chief as the district's logo, replacing it with a stylized "C" with a spear going through it.
Frank Cloutier, director of public relations and past chief of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, told MLive last week that he believes the nickname should no longer be used to represent school districts or sports teams.
“There will never be an excuse for that or the indignant nature or the indifference toward that name,” he said.
During her time at the high school, Brown said she remembers hearing infrequent conversations between students and teachers about changing the nickname, but that there wasn't much movement toward getting that done.
“We weren’t really thinking about it at the time, but in hindsight, this feels really wrong,‘' Brown said. “I have had conversations on my Facebook page with people who I don’t necessarily agree with, and those have been a huge learning opportunity for, hopefully, both parties.
"I've noticed with older family members, they kind of don't care either way, which is kind of difficult, too."
But Brown has noticed more alumni speaking out about changing the nickname, particularly amid Monday's announcement from the National Football League's Washington franchise, which said it will be changing its "Redskins" nickname effective immediately.
Paw Paw Public Schools, a Van Buren County district of around 2,300 students, also finalized its nickname change from "Redskins" to "Red Wolves" on July 13.
"I think now is a good time because a lot of alums who put a lot of space between themselves and that place are rethinking and reevaluating because of our national dialogue," Brown said.
"Additionally, in 2010, when these issues with Clinton and the mascot were originally settled a decade ago, they said that if the mascot of the Washington Redskins was ever changed, they'd reevaluate the situation."
While national events have certainly helped reignite the conversation in Clinton, the global COVID-19 pandemic has also occupied the minds of school administrators in Michigan and beyond, and Cracraft said that is his district's primary focus.
"At the current time, the district is actively planning and preparing for the start of the 2020-2021 school year amidst the global pandemic caused by COVID-19 and this is the primary focus of the Board of Education and administrative team," he said in the release.
Brown said she understands those struggles and appreciates that Cracraft is open to dialogue, but that ultimately, it will have to be the entire school board that enacts change.
"I do understand the difficulties facing the district with COVID and bringing the students back to school safely, and I hope that everyone knows we're empathetic with those issues and those struggles," she said.
"I know that Jim has been really open to meeting with me, and he and I have had some conversations that we're working through, as well, but there's only so much that one conversation can do," she added. "It's truly up to the school board."
MORE:
West Michigan school district could change ‘Indians’ team name, mascot amid racism debate
Paw Paw athletes, coaches react to new ‘Red Wolves’ nickname
Paw Paw schools announce new mascot Red Wolves
3 finalists advance in Paw Paw High School’s search for new nickname
Paw Paw community will vote on new mascot after retiring Redskins moniker
Michigan school scraps Redskins mascot, citing division
What they are saying nationally about the Washington Redskins name change
"use" - Google News
July 17, 2020 at 03:37AM
https://ift.tt/2DNajoF
Southeast Michigan school district to examine use of ‘Redskins’ nickname - MLive.com
"use" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2P05tHQ
https://ift.tt/2YCP29R
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Southeast Michigan school district to examine use of ‘Redskins’ nickname - MLive.com"
Post a Comment