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| Bus driver Cecil Gray displays a sign with the nickname bestowed on those who continue to call for the outdated "Indian" mascot to be retired: Changers! |
I started writing this blog a few years ago in order to keep my head from exploding over news of the ongoing corporate war against the poor, at home and abroad.
One of the reasons I keep blogging is that mainstream media so often fail to report significant news, local or international.
Coverage of the Skowhegan school board meeting last night by the Waterville Morning Sentinel, Fox23 TV, News Center Maine and Maine Public.org failed to share this shocking quote from one of three speakers asking to keep the "Indian" team name. Speaker Nichole LaChapelle said,
“What’s next, are we going to ask dogs how they feel about being a mascot?”
and was met by a collective gasp from the room. This is likely a reference to nearby Lawrence High School, a basketball rival, but even from the folks that continue to insist the team name "Indian" is meant to honor Native people, this is a new level of irony. Do they not experience cognitive dissonance when honoring humans by equating them with dogs?
Thank the goddess for Somerset Community TV 11 whose reporter John Harlow was front and center with his camera recording what transpired. (On February 24, Harlow was barred from a private meeting convened by board members on behalf of their Skowhegan "Indian Pride" group).
Other newsworthy things that I have found no coverage of: our side now has an official name and even a logo. Change supporter Peter Stowell produced dozens of these signs and handed them out at the meeting:
Also, there was a brief kerfuffle between Superintendent Brent Colbry and one or two board members seated to his left. Harold Bigelow interrupted the superintendent's report to move that no more discussion on the mascot take place (Colbry had placed an item about deciding next steps on the superintenden't report section of the agenda, as Bigelow would have known going into the meeting). Possibly Lynda Quinn seconded it, but I could not hear clearly because there were no microphones and I was in the back of a packed room.
I moved up front in time to hear Colbry say something along the lines of, "Are you going to let me finish?" It became clear that he was trying to recommend what he felt were appropriate next steps: to have a workshop-style meeting for the board members to discuss their views publicly, but without input from the public. Bigelow's motion was eventually withdrawn, a motion was made to accept Colbry's proposal, and the board voted overwhelmingly to have a workshop on the mascot March 7 at 7pm in the HIGH SCHOOL cafeteria.
Be there, or be square.
Be there, or be square.
Wish I were there for this. Heard it was .. scandalous..
ReplyDeleteHere's the Maine Education Association's view:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.centralmaine.com/2019/03/01/maine-education-department-urges-schools-to-refrain-from-using-native-american-mascots/?utm_medium=webpush&utm_source=browser&utm_campaign=pushnotifications
The meeting on March 7 may be at the High School. This needs to be clarified- the actual location needs to be confirmed.
ReplyDeleteCorrect, the March 7 meeting will be at Skowhegan Area High School rather than at the middle school as all the other board meetings have been. The two schools are right next to each other, and the high school is the one with the big "Indian" seal on its roadside sign.
ReplyDeleteThey didn't report it because you know darn well she wasn't afforded the warning of times almost up! And kudos to them for not spreading false news!! She never got to finish her comments. You all love to twist and turn and blatantly distort what really happened. To fit your sick narrative. Shame on you
ReplyDeletePam Wyman...OR, she affords a certain priviledge and they knew her statement would've sunk their already full of BS campaign when it comes to the whole issue. The mascot, the imagery...it's all garbage. When people of that culture are telling them that all that stuff does not honor their culture, it in fact hurts them...and the Skowhegan School Board and area town members are discounting what the Natives are telling them? That's not town/school pride, that's not unconscience ignorance, that's racist and hurtful. Sorry Ms. Pam, you and the rest of the "fake news" squad need to learn some hard facts: Just because it's been acceptable for a long time doesn't mean it's acceptable anymore.
ReplyDeleteI was a mascot 50 years ago at the high school I attended. I had some bad stuff happen to meet so I stopped. I have been addressing thise issue since 1969. Now my grandsons are students in the Green Bay school system here in Wisconsin and they are going through the same exact things I did. Granted I am not from you town or area, but believe me, when we say were are not honored, WE ARE NOT HONORED! I have a traveling exhibit I take around the country on this issue we call, "Bittersweet Winds". I'm positive the exhibit would cause discussion out by you. Some good, some not so much so. I urge you to check out our exhibit and also my story, "I Was A Teenage Mascot". You can find them both on the internet. Lastly, I'm not the expert by any means. I'm just an old dude from the rez who tells the truth and answers questions. But think of this; 50 years is a long time. It's time to drop the name, drop the images and teach you children and community that racism and stereotyping has no home in the 21st century.
ReplyDeleteRichie, thanks for your comment and for telling me about your travelling exhibit "Bittersweet Winds." Also the experiences of your family with racism around mascots. We are very hopeful that the Skowhegan pretendian will be retired soon.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to Richie Plass' memoir, "I was a Teenage Mascot" which is really worth a read. http://www.indianz.com/boardx/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=15268
ReplyDeleteThis is what is so idiotic about this “dog” statement. For many years I and other in our community have heard similar arguments from those who continue to defend these archaic and demenaring images/logos/nicknames. I was having a conversation with adults in our community. One of the people made this argument and received collective head nods from his collection of logo supporters. He said “Maybe eagles are offended by schools uses their Image as a mascot.” One his entourage said “Yeah. How do you know that Cardinals aren’t mad and their species being used as a logo.” Again, met with a collective “Yeah” from this adult logo posse. I then said this. “Wow. I never thought of that. I will say this, as soon as a group of eagles or cardinals has a press conference or issue a statement saying they do not want their images used as logos for sports team, I will be right there with them”. That was the end of the conversation. What is so unbelievable is these people actually thought it was a legitimate argument and not one rooted in delusion.
ReplyDelete