Should Algonquin athletes soar like Eagles (or Falcons or Golden Eagles)? Or would you rather they boom like Thunder, lead the way to victory like Trailblazers (or Navigators), or bury their opponents like Nor Easters?
The nine choices for Algonquin mascot also include Owls and Titans.
After narrowing down the list of potential symbols to replace the Tomahawks, the school’s Mascot Study Group vetted its list of nine with “local Native American leadership”. Apparently, all were supported as viable choices.
Now the group is seeking public feedback from the Algonquin community. Ultimately, students will choose from a shortened list:
The Mascot Renaming Study Group is collecting another round of community feedback to help reduce the number of mascot options that will be ultimately presented to the student body for a vote. . .
We would like your input to identify the top choices.
The results of the survey will help guide the Study Group’s decision to reduce the number of acceptable options. Once the list is reduced, we will engage with a branding consultant to conduct a deeper dive into the mascot options and produce visual representations of what each mascot option will look like.
We are excited about the work ahead and look forward to hearing from you about your top choices.
To weigh in, click here and rank your choices by Friday, November 19, 2021, at 5:00 pm. If you wish to provide additional feedback, you are also welcome to email mascotstudygroup@nsboro.k12.ma.us
I object wholeheartedly and disagree to changing Algonquin’s mascot. Too many statues, symbols, and mascots, have been eliminated, and or destroyed in this country. Let’s wipe out all history in the U.S., because it doesn’t agree with those who have no link to our forefathers, leaders and patriots. We’ve become highly sensitized, and eager to destroy and erase, what has made this country great. Yes. even those individuals in history, one may not like, because they have lived by other values, or ethics. You want to create America in your own image. This is not freedom. It’s not what this country was founded on. Because you oppose an individual’s beliefs, you eliminate their representation. This is the basis for socialism, displacement of the U.S. Constitution and The Declaration of Independence, that this nation was founded. God help us
I attended a talk at the Boston Public Library just a couple of weeks ago where the keynote speaker was Larry Spotted Crow Mann. He is an award winning author and a citizen of the Nipmuc Tribe of Massachusetts. Hearing him speak of his people’s history and how it’s been covered up is heart wrenching. And yet, he is most humble, kind and infectious. He has done important work with Bunker Hill Community College in developing and implementing a now required history course into the college’s curriculum concerning the truth about his people.
A tomahawk is not an appropriate mascot. Changing the mascot is showing respect to a nation of people. It is doing the exact opposite of what you are claiming it to do. Eliminating the tomahawk as a mascot is a symbol of our want to elevate our indigenous people.
To Commenters above, thank you both for interesting comments. There are profound takeaways from both observations. To Interested, thank you for sharing this narrative. It is important to read. Read history. Local history and the Nipmuc’s well written history articles on their own websites. One cannot help but to realize past wrongs and cover ups and become allies in respect for all indigenous peoples, including the Nipmucs. In Southborough, history records indicate their presence at least 100 years prior to colonial era residents. Thank you.
I agree with all three commenters and I think all three took the time to think and then write which took me some time to learn. Concerning America, native Americans, tribal history and American history since European arrival, And with focus on American Indians, it depends on who you are speaking with. There are many, many American Indians, Native Americans, that support keeping all tribal names and all native American symbols where they are. There is tremendous Native American pride in these visual tribal names and artifacts that are a reminder to all of us and lend knowledge and in some cases historic national embarrassment to we as a country. Just like a court of law, the layers get to actually choose the jury pool, so do people who have an agenda to remove all American history from the European arrival on in this country. And as always, do your own research, there are also many positive resources to read about the kindness and friendships that were formed early on in America. Read the book, “The Indispensables”, (https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-indispensables-review-washingtons-marbleheaders-11621194263) George Washington’s most important men were native Americans, free American blacks and Spanish Americans. The first person killed in the quest for separation from England was a Black Man, Crispus Attucks, (https://www.history.com/news/crispus-attucks-american-revolution-boston-massacre). There are many good things for all people to learn about their ancestry. These people were all from Marblehead, Massachusetts.But in all things history, we should never forget the atrocities of life. Otherwise we are doomed to repeat them (that is not original)..