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07/15/2021 12:00 AMOn July 14, the North Haven Board of Education (BOE) unanimously voted to retire the image of the Indians mascot from North Haven Public Schools to a round of applause from many of those in attendance.
“This vote does not come lightly,” said BOE Chair Anita Anderson. “Together as a board and individually, we have put in countless hours of research and dialog, we have heard the public speak on both sides of this issue, and we understand the passion many have for our town’s history.”
The decision was reached after more than an hour of public comment with residents—including several students—speaking out with the majority of speakers in favor of retiring of the issue.
“This is what town government is all about—people coming out, speaking their piece, and doing so in a respectful fashion,” said BOE member Joseph Solimene before the vote. “There have been various opinions and differing sides, but it was kept very respectful.”
Other BOE members echoed Solimene’s thoughts with Amanda Gabriele noting that in all of the years she has served on the BOE, no other topic has “garnered even a fraction of the communication I received” than this topic. She thanked neighbors, residents, and community members for sharing their thoughts throughout the entire process.
A Long Process
The road to retiring the mascot began with a BOE discussion in 2015. Since that point, the Indians caricature was retired and the BOE has discussed the issue at a number of meetings, researched the topic, investigated data, discussed the topic with tribal leaders, listened to public comment, and presented its research to the public.
In addition, the BOE has considered information and statutes from the State of Connecticut, which recently announced that any schools using names, symbols, or imagery associated with Native American tribes, customs, or traditions would lose a portion of its state funding.
Gabriele also noted that she believes there are four things to consider in the vote: the moral imperative, the scientific and academic imperative, the legal imperative, and the financial imperative and that “any one of my four imperatives is enough for me” to vote to retire the mascot.
BOE member Dorothy Logan stated that she has looked at the issue from several perspectives, including as a senior citizen, a town resident since 1974, a mother of two, a 25-year special education teacher, and a BOE member.
“I’ve had a lot of time to think about this and I realize change is difficult, especially in times of great upheaval like we’ve experienced in the last 18 months,” said Logan. “It’s about the question of if our mascot [is] bringing our town together and from what I can see over the past five or six years, it’s dividing us. Secondly, it’s about the research and data…The findings are very overwhelming that the use of Native American names and imagery are offensive and harmful to students.”
Prior to the vote, Anderson emphasized that BOE members would be voting in the best interests of students and the school community and their social and emotional interest. She also encouraged the public to accept and respect the board’s decision.
Information on the next steps of finding a new mascot will be forthcoming, though Anderson did note that “we will move forward along with students, the community, and local tribes’ input to find a new logo to represent the long-standing tradition of honoring North Haven’s Native American people in our sports program.”
Superintendent of Schools Patrick Stirk reiterated that the BOE voted based on what it felt was best for the social and emotional wellbeing of all students within NHPS.
“Each board member listened to students, community members, and other stakeholders, as well as conducted their own research, to ensure that they had an in-depth understanding of this issue prior to their vote,” said Stirk. “I commend the board for a student-centered approach to their work as well as their commitment to the students and families of North Haven.”
The complete video with full public comments is available through the MyNHTV Facebook page.