Board agrees to review mascot
EAGLE TIMES
Dan Bustard/Staff Reporter
Thursday, October 19, 2006
CHESTER — A call to replace the Chieftain as Green Mountain Union High School mascot will be addressed in a serious and formal fashion, school officials said Thursday night.
Brad Houk, an instructor in the Opportunities In Learning program and a three-year resident of Chester, wrote a letter to the GMUHS Board this week asking for the removal of the Chieftain.
Houk responded to comments made by Chairwoman Gert Bennett in an Eagle Times story before the board Thursday night, reinforcing his belief the mascot is offensive and more than a symbol.
"I would say signs are very important," he said, referring specifically to Bennett's comments about people getting "easily overtaken" by symbols and signs.
Bennett said she meant no disrespect to Houk's request in her statements, saying she was simply answering questions posed to her.
Windsor Southwest Supervisory Union Superintendent Ed Brown said the Vermont School Boards Association has experience helping school boards deal with controversial mascots. Brown suggested a VSBA official meet with the GMUHS Board's athletic committee and hear from the community before any decision is made.
"The last thing to do is reject this out of hand," Brown said, a sentiment shared by the board. Before Houk spoke, Bennett said she intended to place the request before the athletic committee.
"It is a cause that certainly will not be overlooked," she said.
Houk wrote a seven-page letter to the board on the Chieftain, a mascot chosen when Green Mountain was built. The former Chester High School mascot was the Knight.
In the letter, he described the Chieftain as a racial stereotype. Houk's family had lived on a Navajo Indian reservation for a time. He questioned whether the mascot was an indication Chester is "little more than a tiny reservation for Anglo-Americans shunning diversity and clinging to narrow-minded, carefully-selected, rapidly-declining world views. Such values and views deserve to be allowed to die ... and while people have the right to remain ignorant, public schools do not."
Houk made more strong statements to the board, saying the issue goes beyond the mascot to the toleration of stereotypes and racism.
"For me, the bigger issue is institutionalized racism," he said, noting the National Collegiate Athletic Association banned teams with Native American mascots from participating in postseason games.
Houk called bumper stickers with the phrase "Chieftains have no reservations" patronizing and "so arrogant."
"What sort of community do we want to be?" Houk asked.
Reader Comments
Posted: Friday, October 20, 2006
Article comment by: Paula Piper
Wow, I am so glad our tax dollars are working for us here. Hmm, when I see a chieftan I sure do not think of those things this gentlemen mentioned. And I would presume the folks who voted on that mascot all those years ago sure didn't think that either. I just cannot believe this is an issue. SO what about Bellows Falls then? Couldn't a animal rights group come in and say that they are being racist by selecting a terrior instead of some other breed? Or the Middlebury Tigers? Couldn't a group come in and say they are an endangered animal and therefore should not be a mascot? Truly where does this madness end? give me a break. When I see an Indian, I see, freedom, loyalty, succeed in the face of adversity, hard working. I sure do not make a racial connection. My word, what's going on in our lives where we cannot live and let live? Chester is not a little tourist town, its time to get our town back.
Posted: Friday, October 20, 2006
Article comment by: Shari Yates
Response to Houk letter and article. Give me a break! I would hope that Brad Houk has bigger issues to deal with than GMUHS continuing the use of the Chieftain as a mascot. North Korea is testing missiles, our sons and daughters are dying in a crazy war, people are losing their homes, kids are abused and neglected and this country has a homelessness problem that puts us to shame and you move into this town only three years ago and suddenly declare this to be the big issue? Good grief, open your half closed eyes and stand up for something that really matters. You want to be a crusader? Then find a crusade. I think that Mr. Houk and people like him completely misunderstand the use of these symbols as mascots and in doing so perpetuates the racial stereotyping that he claims to rail against. The Chieftain as a mascot celebrates strength and greatness and is in no way demeaning. When did it become a bad thing to be strong, brave and proud, which is what this mascot stands for? Are you suggesting, Mr. Houk that Native American people and their spirit are not worthy of this honor; to held in such high regard that they are immortalized as a mascot? When did you decide that this group of people or any other group for that matter, does not deserve this recognition. Shunning diversity indeed! I think that you Mr. Houk are shunning diversity by complaining about the use of this symbol as a mascot. I frankly don’t care where you have traveled or lived, apparently you have not traveled enough. I personally take offense to you calling the people of Chester, “… little more than a tiny reservation for Anglo-Americans…”. Talk about stereotyping! We as a country are so caught up in political correctness that we don’t even make sense anymore. What next? If you need glasses are you visually challenge. Too short? Probably not, more likely you are vertically challenged. Let’s start making some sense and stop creating issues to divert attention to ourselves and our personal crusades. If you want to be heard, do something good, support the school and the kids, don’t simply be a rabble-rouser to gain attention. I can only hope that the board does not get caught up in this silly, baseless cause of yours, as they certainly have bigger issues to deal with in our (what did you call it?) “little Anglo American reservation.” Shari Yates Chester/Andover
Posted: Saturday, October 21, 2006
Article comment by: Rhonda Besaw
Thank you Mr Huok for bringing this issue to the light. Interesting, in one of the responses, a comparison of the use of Native peoples as mascots, to the use of "endangered animals" as mascots. This is exactly the kind of problem that is caused when Native peoples images are used in such a way. Either Native images/people are promoted as "savage animals" or "noble savages" Both stereotypes are harmful to Native people, and especially harmful to Native children. It is indeed institionalized racism, supported by the schools and the community. Most Native people take great offense at the use of such images and mascots and find no "honor" in such use. The US Dept of Education, numerous Native organizations, other religious organizations,pyschological associations have all come out publically against the use of Native peoples as mascots. Best wishes to you, Mr Huok, what you are attempting to achieve is very difficult,but very necessary. Rhonda Besaw Eastern/Western Abenaki
Posted: Saturday, October 21, 2006
Article comment by: Roclyn R (Carey) Porter
I was surprised to hear of Mr. Houk's protests to GMUH's use of a Chieftain as a symbol of school pride. As a graduate of GMUHS, and also part Cree, I grew up with the symbol, and it was presented as a symbol of strength and pride. We took a great deal of pride in our school's symbol. Years later, as a child and family therapist, I find myself in a world of diversity, living and working with people from many socioeconomic, ethnic, and spiritual backgrounds. I recall the Chieftain, of which we had a larger-than-life likeness in our school, as a representation of our strength and connection to the Green Mountains. The replica of the Native American we had while I was a student in no way appeared as a charicature or in any way disrespectful. In fact, as I think about it from an adult's perspective, it was a portrayal of an individual without the pomp, dress, and circumstance that one might have expected a few decades ago. Bravo to the community for avoiding the use of a garish representation covered with skins and overly covered with feathers. I can understand that many Native American nations have suffered and have been the targets of ridicule. To suggest that Chester is "little more than a tiny reservation for Anglo-Americans shunning diversity and clinging to narrow-minded, carefully-selected, rapidly-declining world views..." is in itsefl a demonstration of one's difficulty in understanding and knowing the people fo the area. Chester welcomes and supports diverse cultural, ethnic, and spiritual values and points of view. Mr. Houk was also quoted as saying "...such values and views deserve to be allowed to die ..." I find it ironic that he uses this language, and then strives to actively estinguish what has become an athletic and sportsman-like icon. I also find it interesting that he chooses to use attacking vocabulary such as "ignorant" and "narrow-minded." These words tend to be viewed as judgemental, and do not seem welcoming and accepting of themselves. Let us also not forget that GMUHS also serves several towns in the area, not just Chester. Mr. Houk is right about GMUHS being a public school. It is in a community where there exists more than one point of view. I appreciate Mr. Houk's right to his opinion. Let's hope he can show consideration to the rights of others to theirs. Let's also hope that his is not the only opinion the school board will consider while making this decision. Respectfully, Roclyn R (Carey)Porter
Posted: Saturday, October 21, 2006
Article comment by: A Concerned Chester Citizen
I'm assuming that the previous commenters are not Indians (since the "Native Americans" that I know prefer to be called Indians). I offer you this website, where Indians give their insight on the use of Indian mascots in non-native schools. Why not, after a few hundred years of genocide, listen to their viewpoint for a change? http://www.aics.org/mascot/mascot.html
Posted: Saturday, October 21, 2006
Article comment by: KM Vize
"Opportunities In Learning is an alternative education program ...(for students) who have struggled to succeed in the mainstreamed classroom setting because of emotional and behavioral disturbances that prevent them from accessing the curriculum." Perhaps Mr. Brad Houk should stick with his job as opposed to forcing his myopic and self-promoting cause down the throats of the people of Chester. His students would benefit greatly from a teacher who is focusing his energy on them as opposed to tilting at windmills. What's next Mr. Houk? My school mascot was a Red Devil. Should he be eliminated because his image might lure students to satanic worship? Better still, should Notre Dame eliminate the Fightin' Irish? Geesh. As a person of Irish lineage, I think I can handle it. If the mascot were something outwardly racially derogatory (not unlike Mr. Houk's claim that, "Chester is "little more than a tiny reservation for Anglo-Americans shunning diversity...") then I could understand visiting the issue and changing the name/mascot. What's more offensive: a prancing Red Devil, a leprechaun prepared to engage in a brawl or an Indian Chieftain? A chieftain is defined as "the leader or head of a group of people, especially of a clan or a tribe." OR "in Ireland, the hereditary head of a sept or noble family, esp. one of Gaelic origin. 2) in Scotland, the head of a cadet branch of a noble family or Highland clan." What do we do if The Chieftains come to town to perform? Do we give them a symbol and refer to them as "The Irish Band formerly known as The Chieftains'? Mr. Houk goes on to say:"For me, the bigger issue is institutionalized racism," he said, noting the National Collegiate Athletic Association banned teams with Native American mascots from participating in postseason games." He's right. Institutionalized racism should not be tolerated. He should take his fight to the NCAA and fight to have more Caucasian, Asian and Hispanic students on the basketball teams, more Negro, Asian and Hispanic students on the hockey teams. Living briefly on a reservation as a non-Native American interloper does not give Mr. Houk carte blanche to speak on behalf of the native American community anymore than I as a flatlander can speak for true Vermonters. But I will speak up if I see someone running slipshod over tradition. Give us all a break, Mr. Houk. You've had your 15 minutes of fame. Stick to your day job and leave the Chieftan alone.
Posted: Sunday, October 22, 2006
Article comment by: janet nelson
In response to Brad Houk, as a graduate of Green Mountain, i would like to say that the the chieftain symbol honors Native American Indians, it is a symbol of strength, pride and unity and we look up to such symbols. There is nothing derogatory or demeaning about it. Let's leave our mascot the way it is, a part of our past and hopefully our children's future! Mr Houk, move out of Chester if the Chiefs offend you!
Posted: Sunday, October 22, 2006
Article comment by: KM Vize
Concerned Chester Citizen -- why hide behind anonimity? If you feel strongly one way or another, why not post your identity? You have nothing to be ashamed of; we are all entitled to our opinions. As previously written, the word 'Chieftain' is not exclusive to one particular group or another. If the Indian people do not care for it, let's remove the Indian Chieftain's head and replace it with a Highland Scot, complete with tartan plaid kilt. These men were fierce, brave, and loyal -- never ones to back away from a skirmish. Isn't that what the current Chieftain mascot is meant to relate?
Posted: Monday, October 23, 2006
Article comment by: Roclyn R. Carey-Porter
If you actually read my message, I explain that I am part Cree, of a Nation originally out of Quebec. And it is not accurate that all Native Americans prefer to be call "indians," although there are probably some that do. I myself, have found that most prefer to be identified by their given names or as individuals, versus being lumped together as Native Americans or Indians. Thank you for your feedback. Roclyn (Carey) Porter
Posted: Monday, October 23, 2006
Article comment by: Chad Carey
I think Mr. Houk should go back where he came from. As a graduate of GMUHS and a proud Chieftain who happens to have some Indian in me... GO AWAY. The school mascot is a symbol of pride to the students and alumni of which Mr. Houk is neither. Please go find some other crusade leave our beloved Cheiftain alone.
Posted: Thursday, October 26, 2006
Article comment by: Belinda Yazzie
Hmm. This is very interesting. Topic about Chieftains. In, response to Brad Houk’s article. I’ve know Mr. Houk and his family, they lived in Crownpoint and a very known and respected person there. I am a community member from Crownpoint, and he is a very good friend of mine. I am Navajo, can prefer to be called Dine. I do not like to be called Native American or Indian. It is label given to us by the White people. I am a human being that belongs to a very huge tribe. I think it is okay for "Indians" to be calling their teams "Chieftains or Warriors" but yet not right for Anglos using that term for their own teams. It is racism and disrespectful. If you grew up on the reservation a part of the tribe then yes, you can. Stereotyping is okay among people who are stereotyping. I can laugh and make fun of Indians but it is not right for "other" people to laugh about. It is the same in most cultures, but yes I do find it offensive if another "ANGLO" wannabe tribe wants to name their team Chieftains, I'm sure they have never been judged on their skin color or looked upon differently. If you want to respect Native Americans, then change the mascot back to Knights. You don't even know what it is like to grow up on a reservation; you probably do not even know how to butcher a sheep, make rugs or make your own jewelry. Until you experience life like us, you can't even call yourself "Indian". You should look outside the box, instead of realizing what's inside. Brad knows the Dine way and seen it for himself, he has the right to judge and make comments about it. If you want to write more comments about "Indian Culture", write to me My name is Belinda Yazzie, I am Navajo and love to eat mutton with onions on frybread. My e-mail address is byazzie05@yahoo.com.