GECDSB tables report recommending school name/mascot changes

by Sylene Argent

A majority vote of the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) Trustees at its January 17 meeting tabled a report recommending school name and mascot changes for a list of educational facilities.

The report was prepared in response to the motion from the February 15, 2022 Board meeting that directed the GECDSB to review all school names, mascots, and team names, and report back to the Trustees with recommendations regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion considerations.

In the report, part of the recommendation to the Trustees was that the listed school and mascot renaming schedules be followed and that funding be allotted to support the recommended changes. It also recommended that an administrative procedure be created for the determination of school mascots.

In the Report, six school names, and a schedule to change them – either in 2024 or 2025 – were highlighted. All of the schools listed were named after royalty. It was noted many were listed because the name, “represented the Royal Family which was at the centre of British imperialism and colonialism.”

The Report also highlights eight mascots, and a schedule to change them – either in 2024, 2025, or 2026.

One of the eight mascots was the Essex District High School Red Raider, because “Raiders typically symbolize victory through brutality and violence. Additionally, Raiders represent those that invade with the purpose to steal and is inconsistent with GECDSB character education. Although not implied through the imagery of this mascot, ‘red’ is a derogatory term used towards Indigenous people. It has roots in the conflicts of settler territorial control of sovereign native land.”

Also listed was the Kingsville Cavaliers, because “A cavalier is a knight on horseback. Knights are part of the British Royalists who wanted the monarchy to maintain divine rule.”

In addition, Belle River Public School Bucs was listed, because “Bucs (Buccaneers) perpetuate harm through piracy and is inconsistent with GECDSB character education traits.”

It adds that a minimum budget of $50,000 per elementary school and $100,000 per secondary school should be allocated in the Board annual budget

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Continued from Page 7 to address the proposed changes to school names and/or mascots, which may include potential items, such as the school sign, uniforms, letterhead, or painted emblems throughout the school.

Trustee Cathy Cooke said she was the one who made the motion in February of last year to have this report –examining school names and mascots – completed.

“The reason why I did that was to show that Riverside High School was targeted, and what happened to Riverside High School was wrong.”

The GECDSB voted to change its “Rebel” mascot. The school chose the “Stingers.” The change took place last summer.

“My point with my motion was Riverside was targeted, and there’s a whole bunch of schools that if we want to play that game, we can play that game; and we can pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to have names and mascots changed.”

Because she was able to prove her point, her recommendation was to note and file the report.

“Let schools bring forward their own request for changes within the current policy,” she said, noting the School Board already had a policy in place that students, or whomever, can follow to initiate a name change.

Maybe there are names that should be changed, maybe not, Cooke said, noting let the communities, staff, and students decide.

Trustee Julia Burgess was opposed to noting and filing the report.

“I think that this is a long time coming. We’ve had a lot of drum roll leading up to this,” she said, noting she was not going to support the report as it was, but to note and file the report was “very disrespectful of the work that’s been done.”

She said she does not agree with the “framing of the targeting of Riverside. She said that was a longstanding concern raised by the committee. She wanted to refer the matter to the Policy Committee for discussion.

Trustee Ron LeClair said he seconded the motion to note and file the Report as the Board is not in a financial position to pursue this.

With Trustees sharing a myriad of concerns on the matter, the note and file wording was changed to table the report. That motion passed.

Chairperson and Trustee Gale Hatfield explained, that means Trustees can bring this back in the future through a few different avenues, such as through putting forward a Notice of Motion.

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According to Ontario Newsroom, the government will introduce the legislative changes in February 2023. These changes will help health care workers overcome bureaucratic delays that have made it difficult to practice in Ontario.