HAWLEY — The Selectboard opposed plans to remove a painting of the mascot from the Mohawk Trail Regional School gymnasium wall gifted by the class of 1978 in a March 19 letter. However, the board says it accepts the school’s recent efforts to phase out its Native American mascot on athletic materials like uniforms.
Mohawk Trail’s Local Education Council and School Committee are currently considering removing its mascot, which depicts the profile of a Native American man in a feathered headdress. However, leaders are not thinking about removing the team name, “Warriors” – although a couple of school committee members were interested in doing so at the March 13 meeting.
In the Selectboard’s view, banning the gymnasium painting would remove parts of history, in turn infringing on rights to freedom of expression and information. Members compared removing the mascot to banning Shakepearean works – parts of which are now considered racist.
Members expressed some skepticism about the “convenient” timing of the discussion, as it follows Turners Falls’ decision to remove its “Indians” team name a couple years ago.
The Selectboard pointed out that the intent of the painting was positive – to reinforce school pride. In years following, the painting has become “synonymous” with the school, members said, present at countless competitions and graduations.
“If you are painting something in which you want your school to have pride, you certainly are not going to paint something you are trying to demean,” the Selectboard wrote.
The Selectboard proposed a couple alternatives to removing the painting. They suggested using it to prompt conversations about relations between indigenous and non-indigenous people. Also, members raised the idea of inviting Native American people to create another painting on the gymnasium wall.
“Mohawk has lately been filled with many examples of beautiful student and community artwork and we see no reason not to continue that trend,” the Selectboard wrote. “There is no need to muffle one voice to include another. The walls of Mohawk have much space to paint yet.”
Mohawk’s Local Education Council plan to discuss the mascot issue at a public meeting April 1 at 6 p.m.
Contact Grace Bird at gbird@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 280.