The high school in Guilford, Connecticut, will stop using Indians as its mascot. Members of the town’s Board of Education voted for the change in response to a push in recent weeks by parents and former students.
Superintendent of Schools Paul Freeman recommended the mascot be dropped immediately.
“We listened to folks who were here 70 years ago when Guilford changed from the Rams to the Indians, and I respect their experience and their opinion, but times change. Offense lies in the eye of the beholder and if we’re offering offense, whether it’s intended or not, we simply need to stop doing it. That’s what we teach our children in our classrooms.”
Freeman suggested that the district include ideas from the community when choosing a new mascot. He said a final vote will come from students.