Wichita North High mascot to remain Redskins through pandemic
The Wichita school district won’t take up the controversial issue of changing the name of North High School’s Redskins mascot until the COVID-19 crisis has passed and the public can attend school board meetings again.
“The board is committed to listening and engaging our district stakeholders in these important decisions about education,” said board President Sheril Logan. “Specifically, we have received a request about . . . having an open discussion about changing the North High mascot due to the derogatory nature of the Redskins mascot to the Native American community.”
The request came about the time that professional sports teams were considering changing their names and logos to eliminate what critics say are racist references and outdated, stereotypical depictions of Native Americans.
The NFL Washington Redskins announced this month that they’re retiring their name and native imagery after 87 years and will play this season under the generic moniker “Washington Football Team.”
Before Thursday’s meeting, the school board received 16 e-mails and letters on the topic: eight calling for a name change at North and eight arguing to keep it.
“I find it unacceptable that various out-of-state &/or nationally known organizations (e.g.,football teams, Nike, etc.) are, again, trying to make decisions for the entire country,” wrote North High alumnus Kathy Epps Hankins, class of 1963. “No cancel culture can truly erase history & reality. Each individual case should be just that: individual. So, I am voting as a Proud Redskin to leave things as they are.”
Sherry G. Skillwoman, class of ‘65, wrote in urging a name change.
“It’s time to discontinue this cultural insult & the psychological damage it causes to Native kids who grew up internalizing these caricatures of their culture,” she wrote. “Drop the name “Redskins” & find a respectful way, including input from the Native Community, to arrive at a new “mascot” name. The upset people will get over it & eventually re-establish their loyalty to the new NHS identity.”
Logan said the issue will be delayed, but not forgotten.
“Many of us have received feedback from constituents and I can tell you this: North High alums love North High School and its traditions,” Logan said. “As a longtime educator in this community and now your board president, I agree that now is the time to consider a change.”
That discussion was originally scheduled to take place at Thursday’s board meeting.
But due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, school board meetings are closed to the public and the only way people can comment right now is to send e-mails that are ultimately attached to the meeting minutes.
”We will honor the public’s desire to be present and engage in this discussion and will entertain an agenda item and participation that can occur when we have more direct access to the public,” Logan said.
This story was originally published July 30, 2020 at 4:29 PM.
