It’s obvious that people on both sides of the Turners Falls “Indians” debate are sincere in the viewpoints, even if the defenders of the status quo may seem more passionate.
Perhaps that’s because we generally resist having things taken away or having change forced on us. In this case, many in the Turners Falls community feel their traditional Indians mascot — which has been tied up with school spirit and identity for generations — is being threatened by political correctness. Of course, those who vocally or subtly advocate parting company with the mascot feel it has racist roots, intentional or not, and needs to be left behind in a more culturally and historically sensitive era.
As the community debate unfolds, supporters of the current mascot have suggested holding a referendum on the controversial issue. Some have suggested a binding referendum that would allow people to vote in lieu of Gill-Montague School Committee’s planned public hearings and other forums.
Frank Abbondanzio, the town administrator for Montague, says a referendum would likely be only advisory in nature.
Mascot traditionalists seem to favor some sort of binding referendum, perhaps feeling that numbers are in their favor. School Committee Chairman Mike Langknecht seems disinclined to cede the board’s authority to a ballot question, as the state Legislature often dislikes using ballot questions to decide thorny or complex issues. Langknecht said the committee is made up of residents and taxpayers in the towns and are elected by the voters to handle issues like this.
He said that a public referendum could raise its own concerns, including campaigning that could possibly turn ugly as the issue heats up.
A referendum would also exclude any students under 18 as well as anyone outside the district, including alumni who no longer live in the towns. These folks could have their views heard at a hearing.
But Jeremy Dillenschneider — a Turners Falls alumnus and the creator of an online petition backing the mascot that has garnered stronger support than a counter petition — advocates a referendum, with mirror image arguments to Langknecht’s.
“I don’t think it belongs with the School Committee,” he said. “It belongs to the townspeople and those in the district.”
Others have argued public hearings would produce more “hostile of an environment,” than a referendum.
Clearly this issue feels important to so many people: current students and parents, generations of alumni living in and outside of Gill and Montague today, voters and non voters. The feelings run so strongly, that we think the school board should continue to do what it has been doing: moving with the utmost care to consider everyone’s views and to gather all the information possible before making a decision.
We think the decision ought to lie with the school board, but at the same time we think it would be helpful to know how the towns’ voters feel. A nonbinding advisory opinion of the two towns’ voters would provide a strong indicator of public sentiment, even if it’s a blunt tool that doesn’t represent all stakeholders.
But such a poll should be no substitute for hearings, where those pro and con can argue their positions and listen the opposition. It seems that if the School Committee wants to take everyone’s views into consideration before deciding, and really wants to make the most informed decision, it should seriously consider making this extra effort.