Richfield Springs school mascot changed
Aug. 25—The Richfield Springs Central School District Board of Education plans to meet this week for a joint workshop with the Owen D. Young Central School District school board to work on a new joint sports logo.
The Richfield Springs school board voted unanimously to discontinue the former district mascot and team name, the Indians, at its July 5 meeting, according to meeting minutes.
The new mascot and team name is the Eagles. The school colors remain purple and gold.
In November of last year, the state Education Department Senior Deputy Commissioner James N. Baldwin directed that all remaining school districts with a Native American-derived mascot, team name or logos must replace them by the end of the 2022-23 school year, or risk the removal of school officers and loss of state funding.
The prohibition on schools using Native American team names, logos or imagery was enacted by the state in 2001, but many school districts hadn't fallen into compliance in the 20-plus years since.
As of November, Richfield Springs, Stamford and Schoharie central school districts were the only ones in the area that still had sports teams that were called the Indians.
In February, the Richfield Springs school district created a mascot committee to consider and address the changes mandated by the state, made up of school community members including faculty, staff, administration, the school board and interested community members, according to a Facebook post on the district's page announcing the creation of the committee.
School officials also sought input from the greater school community, including students, employees, community members and alumni, on the new mascot and team name.
The deadline for new mascot suggestions was May 16, and the top pick in a mascot nickname poll in June was the Eagles.
The Stamford Central School District school board voted unanimously at its June 8 meeting to eliminate the use or display of the Indian name, logo and mascot by June 30, 2025, unless an extension is granted by the state, according to the meeting minutes.
The Schoharie Central School District school board voted unanimously at its April 19 meeting to discontinue use of its old mascot and to adopt the Schoharie Storm as the new mascot, according to meeting minutes.
During the same meeting, a presentation on the proposed 2023-24 school budget showed that the school district has tentatively budgeted about $75,000 for the school mascot change.
On June 15, the school board approved a concept logo design by McNeil Creative for the new mascot, which incorporates a swirling hurricane seen from above.
Schools and teams nationwide have been moving away from Native American mascots, team names, logos and imagery. In the world of professional athletics, Washington's football team was renamed the Commanders and Cleveland's baseball team changed to the Guardians.
