Name To Be The Same, But North Central To Drop Indian Mascot

North Central High School plans to drop the Indians as its mascot.

Well, sort of.

After seven years of on-again, off-again discussion about whether to change the mascot, administrators have decided to make a concession to people offended by the Indian head that has served as the school’s mascot.

“It has been decided that we will remain `The North Central Indians’ but select a NEW MASCOT,” read a notice in a newsletter sent home to NC parents this week.

In other words, Indians will remain the school’s symbol and moniker, but a new mascot will be picked to display at sporting events and on T-shirts.

Confused?

Ed Fisher, North Central’s activity and athletic director, explained the distinction this way:

“The concept of a mascot is that it is a thing on a leash, something you bring out for a ballgame.” But “symbols are held in high esteem and treated with dignity and honor and pride. They are something to be looked up to.”

Fisher said many Native Americans he spoke to indicated that having the Indians as a symbol or name was more favorable than having Indians as a sports mascot.

A new mascot won’t be officially chosen until next year, said Principal Mike McGuire. Some early suggestions are a coyote, a fox, a raven and an eagle.

The choice will be made by the students.

The school made its decision three months after a North Carolina woman asked the U.S. Justice Department to look into whether Indian mascots violate the civil rights of Indian students. The complaint resurrected discussion locally.

Fisher has been to more than 20 meetings on the subject and has had numerous conversations with the Spokane Tribe, NC alumni, staff, administration and students.

The move comes despite overwhelming sentiment from alumni and students to keep the Indians as the mascot.

Stanford University is an example of an institution whose name, the Cardinal - as in the color red - differs from its mascot, a tree.

No one at the Spokane Tribe could be reached for comment about North Central’s decision on Thursday.

Fisher admitted that there are still more questions than answers about the change.

He said he will have another meeting with members of the Spokane Tribe’s cultural board to get more feedback about mascots for sports teams.

Fisher did say the Indian displays in the school won’t be removed.

“It’s not like all the history from 1923 is going to be wiped out,” Fisher said. “It’s not as though the reader board out front is going to come down.”

On top of the reader board is a Plains Indian wearing a headdress.

And other Indian artifacts that have been donated and collected through the years will be housed in a display area that could be created by as early as the fall of the next school year, Fisher said.

Fisher said there are a variety of sentiments about the matter, but the advice that the school has taken into consideration the most is from members of the Spokane Tribe.

“It’s in the eyes of the beholder,” Fisher said. “For the most part, Indians as a mascot is viewed as offensive.

“The big picture is that it appears everyone included in the decision-making process agrees that changing the North Central mascot is timely,” he said.