Fulton School District Holds Next Meeting On Mascot Issue Tonight

by Contributor | February 18, 2010 8:40 am

The next meeting in a series of discussions about the future of the school’s mascot and logo is tonight.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Board of Education room at the Education Center in Fulton.

The district is trying to resolve several years of discussion about its mascot and logo.

Under pressure from the state Education Department, some school districts have changed their nicknames and logos if those names and logos could be seen as demeaning to Native Americans. Central Square, for example, changes its nickname from the Redmen to the Red Hawks.  Some, such as Weedsport, have not.

People who have offered opinions to the district in earlier public forums have generally supported keeping the Native American mascot and Red Raider name, saying it honors native people.

Superintendent of Schools Bill Lynch has said that a thorough search of district records turns up only one official logo, the red block letter “F”. He and other district officials believe that the Native American icons were created over the years by local printing companies to sell school shirts and memorabilia and became an unofficial logo.

Prior coverage:

• RaiderNet Daily: The Mascot Debate Continues
• RaiderNet Daily: The School Mascot Controversy
• Fulton Schools Closing In On New Mascot And Logo
• Former Fulton Athletes & Coaches Say District Should Make Native American Head Symbol The Official Logo

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/fulton/fulton-school-district-holds-next-meeting-on-mascot-issue-tonight/

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