Letter to the Editor
Foster's Daily Democrat
Friday, December 1, 2006

Time to retire the Red Raider

To the editor:

On Nov. 24 Foster's reported on a recent meeting of the Rochester School Board's Policy Committee ("Spaulding High logo debate continues").

I was born and raised in Rochester and graduated from Spaulding with two current members of the School Board. Unfortunately, my former classmates do not feel that the long-standing practice of referring to Native people as Red Raiders is racist and should come to an end.

The School Board is currently focused on the "symbol," that grotesque, bright red-faced cartoon that appears more prominently on today's team uniforms than the name of the school. What would the Spaulding family say about this today? And just how does one use this racist image respectfully in a public school environment?

If the School Board and school administrators are sincere in their desire to be respectful, they should open a dialogue with Native people in New Hampshire and retire this nickname and logo this year. I call on Superintendent Hopkins to take steps toward convening a legitimate public forum, one in which the Native American community is invited to participate.

In research conducted by the New England Anti-Mascot Coalition I have learned that the nickname "Red Raiders" was first used by the 1950 basketball team. Prior to that, Spaulding's sports teams were simply known as the "Raiders." The cover of the 1957 yearbook featured an "Indian" caricature in full Plains-style feathered headdress. That same year the cheerleaders' uniforms were red and white "Indian uniforms" that included a headband and a single feather. The cheerleaders can be seen posing for photos with their arms folded or making the Hollywood "Hou" hand gesture. In the late 1970s the cheerleaders' sweaters featured a cartoon of a buck-toothed "Indian" doing a cheerleading leap. Today, school administrators claim that they are honoring Native Americans by depicting them as bright red-faced warriors.

After 50 years it's time to stop playing Indian. It's time to stop perpetuating racial stereotypes, bigotry, and ignorance, and start teaching our children about tolerance. Offering at least one course in Native American Studies—out of 240—is a start.

Pete Sanfaçon
Framingham, Massachusetts