Richardson: Campuses changing symbols to be culturally sensitive

07:28 PM CDT on Friday, June 9, 2006

By KRISTINE HUGHES / The Dallas Morning News

Keith and Jennie Marx are proud Mohawk Elementary alumni happily raising their four children in a school with an Indian mascot heritage.

JUAN GARCIA/DMN

Dartmouth Elementary School in Richardson is changing its mascot from an Indian symbol to the Mighty Ducks.

Next year, though, fifth-grader Regan – the last Marx child to attend the school – will be a Colt instead.

Mohawk is one of two Richardson campuses that decided last month to give up their Indian mascots in favor of something with less potential to offend. Dartmouth Elementary elected to become the Mighty Ducks.

While some residents mourn the loss of tradition, district officials and others say it was the right thing to do.

"Our community is more diverse, and we are part of a multicultural world," Dartmouth principal Kathy Clayton said. "We need to be aware of the sensitivities of the various people, races and ethnic groups. As a learning community we encourage our students to be accepting and respectful to all cultures."

The issue first arose in April when several Mohawk parents sought to revive a school mascot since the Indian had been mothballed about six years ago.

After learning of the effort, district officials made parents aware of their policy prohibiting new schools from using ethnic groups as symbols. Officials asked existing campuses with similar logos to comply voluntarily.

After several PTA and Mohawk Local School Council discussions, mascot options were narrowed down and voted on by both student bodies. The process took about two weeks and was completed just before school let out for summer.

At Dartmouth, where the original mascot was chosen in 1974, the vote was close: With 137 votes, Mighty Ducks beat out Stars, with 103, and Dolphins, 104.

PTA president Cindy Villela said the Mighty Duck moniker had the edge because the school is in the Duck Creek neighborhood.

"Duck Creek runs right by the playground, so they are likely to see ducks on any given day," she said.

Caricatures of Indian boys and girls on the school's marquee and banners will be changed over time, she said.

But many of those images probably will remain.

"The history of the school will always pretty much be intact with all the drawings and signs throughout the school," she said. "Those things will always remain and be part of our history, but we'll move forward as well."

Preservation of Mohawk's 42-year history is the biggest concern for a group of parents that includes Mr. Marx.

PTA members initially voted 59-50 to keep the mascot. However, the principal and a divided Local School Council – composed of teachers, staff members and residents – decided that wasn't acceptable and provided other options.

"I know that some of you feel the Indian is a tradition and that we honor them by using their image as a mascot," principal Billie Snow said at a PTA meeting before the decision. "However, we have not used this [image] for several years, so it really isn't a tradition that we have continued."

Besides Colt, the choices were Thunderbird and Hawk. The student vote was not available.

Mr. Marx said the school had used the symbol for decades so it should be maintained.

He said the image could be created so as not to offend, in the same way Florida State University did with its Seminoles logo. The university has been consulting with tribal officials for 30 years to ensure its representation is respectful.

"We are Mohawk," Mr. Marx said, adding that the political wrangling has dampened his enthusiasm for the school. "If I saw that the word Indian was derogatory, then I could see the point."

American Indians and others who struggle over the issue disagree.

Beginning next football season, the National Collegiate Athletic Association extended its ban on Indian names to include bowl games. In other words, the organization will no longer sanction any games, season or post-season, involving teams with American Indian mascots, save three that have been exempted, including FSU.

Last year, a U.S. appeals court heard the case of a group of American Indians who had petitioned to cancel the Washington Redskins' trademark registration.

And in 2002, the Southern California Indian Center sponsored state legislation to prohibit racial mascots in public schools. The bill failed.

Mike Kellogg of Stillwater, Okla., a member of the Navajo nation and president of the Native American Journalists Association, said Indians are tired of being marginalized and dismissed.

"No culture should have to endure its traditions or heritage being hijacked," he said, adding that children need to learn that when they are young. "Those habits will be with them forever."

Richardson West Junior High also considered a change but elected to keep its Warrior mascot, which uses a horse logo.

Arapaho Elementary, which combined with Classical Magnet to become Arapaho Classical Magnet this year, changed its mascot from the Braves to the Falcons as part of the merger.

Ms. Clayton, Dartmouth's principal, said the mascot was originally chosen to honor Indians.

"That is the history of our school," she said. "We're comfortable with having our tradition of the Indian, and now we're the Ducks."

E-mail khughes@dallasnews.com