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| Front row, l to r: Pam Hubbard, Frank Callaghan, Jae Duntley, Nancy Warren, Diane Moody, Anne Grassie, Audrey Stevens. Back row, l to r: Peggy Parker, John Rossi, John Connelly, William Brennan, Bob Watson, Charlie DeVito. On May 1, 2006, Chair Nancy Warren's name appeared in the guestbook of savetheredraider.com, making her position on the issue quite clear. |
3/16/06 Minutes of Rochester School Board Special Services Committee Meeting
4/11/06 Minutes of Rochester School Board Special Services Committee Meeting
4/13/06 Minutes of Regular Rochester School Board Meeting
11/16/06 Minutes of Policy Committee Meeting
1/19/07 Minutes of Policy Committee Meeting
When the Rochester School Board last received a letter recommending that Spaulding's race-based team name and bright red severed head logo be eliminated school board members were in an election year. What follows are excerpts from interviews in Foster's Daily Democrat.
11/7/00 Foster's Daily Democrat
Statement by then Principal of Spaulding Liz Mantelli
8/21/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
Rochester debates Spaulding High mascot
10/24/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
Warren unopposed for Rochester School Board Ward 2
When asked how she feels about the Spaulding High School mascot, the Red Raider, which has recently come under fire for portraying an American Indian, [Nancy] Warren said, "I don’t think it's a big issue here in Rochester. At some point in the future when major league sports teams change their mascots due to political correctness pressure then it will eventually filter down to us, but we don't need to lead the brigade. We've got bigger issues to deal with for now."
10/24/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
George unopposed for at-large Rochester School Board Seat A
When asked how he felt about the school's mascot, the Red Raider that has recently come under fire for using the image of an American Indian, [Bert] George said that he would not vote to remove it. "There are a lot of people who have gone through with it and are happy with it," he said.
10/25/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
Gilbert unopposed for Rochester School Board seat
[Gerard] Gilbert said he feels that the Red Raider, Spaulding High School’s mascot, which has recently come under fire for being perceived by some as negatively depicting an American Indian, is a badge of honor.
"It really isn’t meant to demean or disparage any ethnic group," Gilbert said. Gilbert added that although he would like to keep the mascot, he understood the concerns some had about it.
10/26/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
Parks unopposed in Rochester School Board Ward 4
[James] Parks is not in favor of changing the school mascot — the Red Raider, which has been scrutinized recently because it depicts an American Indian, which some residents find offensive.
10/25/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
Chrusz unopposed for Rochester School Board seat
[Mark Chrusz] said he doesn’t want to change Spaulding High School's mascot — the Red Raider — which depicts an American Indian, but said that the matter needs to be investigated and the community consulted. There has been a recent controversy over the mascot because some people feel it is offensive and want it changed.
"I think it is more of a recognition and a positive symbol more than a degradation," Chrusz said.
10/26/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
Callaghan running unopposed for Rochester School Board
[Frank] Callaghan does not support changing the Spaulding High School mascot, the Red Raider, which has recently come under fire for what some perceive is a negative depiction of an American Indian. Callaghan said none of his constituents have approached him to complain about it and he did not feel the mascot is offensive.
"I wish they could find ways to really help the Indians rather than taking them off the insignia."
10/26/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
Parks unopposed in Rochester School Board Ward 4
[James] Parks is not in favor of changing the school mascot — the Red Raider, which has been scrutinized recently because it depicts an American Indian, which some residents find offensive.
10/29/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
Two seek Rochester School Board Ward 5B seat
[Steven Tuttle] suggested a solution to the Spaulding High School mascot, the Red Raider, which has recently been criticized for being offensive since it depicts an American Indian. He thinks the school should keep the Red Raiders name but change the mascot.
"The issue is never going to go away so we might as well change it," Tuttle said.
[Bob] Watson said he believes people should keep an open mind when considering the high school’s mascot. While the school has a great tradition, the School Board should be more sensitive about how some people view the mascot.
"I think it's an issue that needs to be studied," he said.
10/31/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
Three vying for Ward 5 seat on Rochester School Board
When asked how she feels about Spaulding High School’s mascot, [Anne] Grassie said she believes the school mascot, the Red Raider, is displayed in a respectful manner, though she doesn’t believe it’s an issue. The mascot has come under fire recently as portraying American Indians in a stereotypical manner.
10/31/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
Harkinson unopposed for Ward 3 School Board seat
When asked about the Spaulding High School mascot, the Red Raider, which has come under fire recently for what some view as a negative depiction of an American Indian, [Daniel] Harkinson said he believed there are more significant issues to be addressed.
"In my opinion, this is not an issue the School Board should get bogged down in," Harkinson said.
10/31/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
Hynes, Fitzgerald vie for Rochester School Board Ward 4 seat
[David] Hynes does not support changing Spaulding High School’s mascot, the Red Raider, which has come under fire for what some perceive is a negative depiction of an American Indian. Hynes said he did not believe it was an issue.
11/2/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
Two vie for at-large Rochester School Board seat
When asked how he felt about the school mascot, the Red Raider, which has recently come under fire as possibly being offensive to American Indians, [Charles] DeVito said the board needs to hear feedback from the community.
"We certainly do need to be sensitive to the symbols and language that we use," DeVito said. He added it was important to keep school spirit intact while being careful to not be offensive.
11/2/01 Foster's Daily Democrat
Two face off for Rochester School Board seat in Ward 3
[John] Connelly said he does not have a problem with the Red Raider mascot which has recently been criticized by some for portraying an American Indian in a derogatory way, but said he needs more information about how people feel about it. If people find it offensive then the School District should look at changing it, according to Connelly.
"I look at it as honoring the Native Americans. I don't look at it as slander," Connelly said.