Bye, bye Chieftains? School asked to consider removing Native American name
By Corinne Green
CLINTON TIMES & COURIER
Fri Jun 01, 2007, 03:29 PM EDT
BOLTON — The New England Anti-Mascot Coalition has asked superintendents around the state to take a proactive approach to changing their schools’ nicknames and “the stereotypical ‘Indian’ images” that go along with them in the context of sports entertainment, because in the coalition’s opinion, using the images as sports logos makes “a mockery of Native American cultures.”
Nashoba Superintendent Michael Wood shared a letter from the coalition with the School Committee at a May 17 meeting and initiated a discussion of the high school’s use of the term “Chieftains” and related imagery. Wood said the committee’s choices that evening ranged from opting to do nothing at present, establishing a committee, or voting a process for change. In the end, the committee chose to refer the subject to the superintendent for further investigation and a recommendation to the committee at a later date.
The letter said that the Sportsmanship Committee of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association is currently reviewing the issue of Native American sports team mascots, nicknames and logos in high school sports. It referenced action taken by the NCAA in 2005, when it banned several universities and colleges using Indian nicknames and imagery from hosting NCAA tournaments, and said the MIAA is considering similar action with Massachusetts high schools (see related story).
Wood said the subject has been “on our minds,” and referred to discussions he has had with Nashoba Principal John Smith, Assistant Principal Jeremy Roche and Tom O’Brien, the athletic director, but said the School Committee needs “to wrestle with this.”
Nashoba Chieftains is the longtime nickname for sports teams and other groups at the high school and is part of the school’s vocabulary and culture, but visual images have already been changed, according to Wood. The drum major no longer wears a headdress to football games and the school no longer uses a Chieftain emblem on sports attire. Nashoba’s emblem or logo, when used at all, has been changed to a spear with a feather on it, he said.
The coalition urges schools to educate students about the history of Native American people in this country rather than limiting references to degrading nicknames and sports logos. Wood said that the school has offered educational programs on Native American culture, although a course developed by John Smith on the subject is not currently taught.
School Committee members expressed various opinions on the matter and whether or not to take any action at this time.
Member Don Adams of Lancaster said two members of his family, graduates of the school, “take great pride in being Chieftains and are upset with the idea of doing away with it.”
Growing up as a Cub Scout and Boy Scout, he said he learned a lot about Native Americans in this region and does value their culture. “I don’t see why a Chieftain is necessarily an offensive symbol,” he said, and added, “I’m puzzled how a spear with a feather on it is less offensive.” He said he thinks ads used by the casinos referencing wampum cards and other Native American images are more offensive, and raise the question of hypocrisy when considered in tandem with the charges lodged in the letter.
Stow representative David Horne responded, “Two wrongs don’t make a right.” Horne said that he was very surprised to learn of the use of the headdress when he first moved here. “There are less offensive mascots to embrace. I’m not wedded to this mascot like families that have been here a long time. I see little downside to changing it.”
Bolton representative Richard Fly said in the current environment, he thought the move away from the Chieftain image to a spear and feather was a good one. But in terms of racial stereotyping at the school, he said he wasn’t aware of any. His daughter graduated from Nashoba last year and he said he considered the kids “the least prejudiced group around.” Fly said he didn’t think the Chieftain mascot was used to disparage anyone.
“Chieftain pride” is a familiar phrase to students, parents and administrators at the school. It is used in a positive way to describe the spirit expressed by the school community, according to Assistant Principal Jeremy Roche. He thinks the term Chieftain is used with respect and denotes leadership qualities. There was a conscious move away from using the image as an emblem on team clothing, according to Roche.
Lancaster representative Monica CampoBasso wanted to put the subject to the students. Mel Govindan agreed, but said “the final decision should lie with us.”
Brian Burke, of Stow, said that Don Adams probably spoke for a lot of families in the district, “but this cries out to me to put to a committee.”
Adams said there is a lot of value in what we think of as a Chieftain and what Native Americans did and stand for. “It’s sad to think we’re obliterating any proof they were here and what they did.”
Govindan suggested forming a subcommittee of the School Committee to address the subject. “We can’t ignore this. Maybe it is better to address it preemptively.”
Newly-elected chairman of the School Committee, Cathy Giunta said, “We don’t know if the MIAA is taking any action. This [letter] hints that a lot of people might do something.”
She said Nashoba students had been talking about it all year, since it came up in Natick. The School Committee there voted in March to stop using the team name Redmen starting in the 2008-2009 year.
“I’m not necessarily convinced we need to do anything other than consider it, which is what we are doing…” Giunta said.
Fly suggested finding out what other schools are doing with similar, borderline situations [a nickname but no mascot]. He also said the term chieftain does not just refer to Native Americans, but is used around the world.
Wood said the letter is canvassing for input and hesitated to give it more credence than warranted. “If enough people respond, a snowball will build.” He said there was no rush to reply and offered to do some research on the coalition.
Burke suggested responding to the letter with a statement that the committee “is taking the subject under consideration and will put it on an agenda.”
Adams interjected, “Yes, and we’ll end up named in their next letter.”
With that, the committee referred the matter to the superintendent for further investigation.