BUCKLAND — Mohawk Trail Regional School officials are clear: the Native American imagery will go and the “Warriors” name will stay.
While the School Committee hasn’t yet voted to formalize the decision, officials say they are now focused on how to remove remaining images of Native Americans around the school, of which there are two – a mural on the gymnasium and an image near the stone entrance sign. The mural depicts a Plains Native American in a feathered headdress.
Co-Principal Marisa Mendonsa said the school is now focused on “how to move forward with removing the remaining imagery, in a way that respects the sincere intent of those that came before us,” at a Local Education Council meeting held April 1. Mendonsa said the school did not have plans at this time to change the school’s sporting name, “Warriors.”
The School Committee will discuss how to remove the logo at a Wednesday meeting, and vote on the matter at a date to be determined. Items to be considered include how the school should remove a gymnasium mural depicting the Native American logo while preserving history, Mendonsa said.
Also, officials will determine whether the schools’ new logo is designated the letter “M” as it appears on sports uniforms, or if a new image is introduced.
The school began phasing out the Native American logo on sports uniforms several years ago, Superintendent Michael Buoniconti said Friday. Buoniconti said there was no discussion about the reason for removing this logo, describing it as an organic and gradual occurrence.
Asked about how the school will proceed with removing the logo, Buoniconti said he hopes Mohawk will include current and former students as well as Native Americans in discussions.
“What I would imagine is to have a coming together of leadership from today’s Mohawk students with yesteryear’s Mohawk students, and representatives from the Native American community,” Buoniconti said. “That’s what I would really like to see.”
The mural does not represent the area’s history accurately, Mendonsa said, as the school is named after the Mohawk tribe that would pass through the area. However, the image depicts a Native American person from the Plains tribes. Plains Native Americans refer to members of any tribe located in the Great Plains in the U.S. and Canada.
“Mascot debates across our country revolve around inaccurate and stereotypical representations of Native Americans in the United States,” Mendonsa said. As the principal of this school, and overseeing a major grant to redesign our school to be more inclusive for all, I feel we should not have an image that could be considered offensive or stereotypical towards any one group.”
Some alumni have said they are upset they weren’t included in discussions sooner, while others are opposed to removing the logo entirely. The prospect of removing the mural has elicited the vast majority of discussions, due partly to its origin, as it was a gift from the class of 1978.
“At that time, the artwork was given out of kindness and with respect,” Mendonsa said. “I am aware of the concerns regarding the removal of this painting and will listen to ideas of how to move forward and respectfully preserve or honor this gift.”
Randy Smith, a member of the class of 1978, created an online petition Thursday seeking to be more involved in discussions about the mural’s fate. The petition had roughly 970 signatures at 2:30 p.m. Friday, however, Smith said he could not see who had signed the petition.
Smith’s petition accused school officials of failing to include the community in discussions about removing the mural. Smith said he learned about the schools’ intent to remove its mascot in a Facebook post published to the Class of 1978’s reunion page.
The school first formally told the public about its plans to remove the logo in a March 5 email sent by Buoniconti, according to Mendonsa. The idea was first proposed at a Local Education Council meeting in December, she said, which the public is free to attend and whose agenda and minutes are posted online.
In February, The Recorder contacted Mohawk Trail about a bill submitted by state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, that would ban Native American mascots, logos and team names in public schools. In response, Mendonsa said the school was considering removing its logo.
The petition made some suggestions regarding how the school should move forward, both with the logo and without it. Among ideas: the School Committee should vote to keep the mural, work with the community to adjust the artwork, or have Mohawk’s nine-member towns vote on the matter at their annual Town Meetings. He also proposed that the classes of 2019 and 1978 work together “to find common ground” and “use this as an educational moment” to learn about the area’s history.
“Nobody knew what was going on,” Smith said Friday. “To me that’s just so wrong, and I think they’re missing an opportunity here.”
Mohawk’s current students have mixed views about the logo. Cody Ryder, a 10th-grader, said the mural represents the sacrifices and strength of Native American people.
“I think it should just stay up,” Ryder said.
His brother ninth-grader Tyler Matteson had similar views, saying the mural image should remain in the gym as it represents the region’s history.
“I know the painters who painted it probably didn’t have any racist intent,” Matteson said.
On the other hand, Mohawk student Mae Rice-Lesure expressed support for removing the mural at April’s Local Education Council meeting.
“It’s not something we’re proud of,” Rice-Lesure said.
View Smith’s petition at https://www.change.org/p/randy-smith-keep-artwork-on-the-mohawk-gymnasium-wall.
Reach Grace Bird at gbird@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 280.