Without decisive action on the use of Native American images at Valley Regional High School (VRHS), dialogue on this controversial topic continues in- and outside the school community.

The issue came to a head last December, when former VRHS student Gabriel Leger presented the Region 4 Board of Education (R4 BOE) with an online petition to change what he referred to as VRHS’s “racist mascot.” As of press time, this petition had 300 signatures.

A competing online petition to “Get [t]he Warrior head back on Valley football helmets” was also created at this time by the username “Valley students.” This petition had 1,196 signatures as of press time.

The topic of the competing petitions came up again at a R4 BOE meeting on March 5, at which VRHS Principal Michael Barile and Superintendent of Schools Brian White gave a presentation on the overall history, use, and status of the school’s mascot, nickname, and logos.

Barile showed images of other logos that are used by the school: some that do not allude to Native Americans, such as a gold shield typically used on letterhead, while others that do, such as the image of a sphere with feathers, used on football helmets.

In total, Barile informed the R4 BOE that there are seven areas throughout VRHS’s building and grounds that display the profile of a Native American wearing a feathered headdress. The main entrance to the school, the snack shack, and gym floor are just a few examples.

Barile also highlighted efforts of students, staff, parents, and other school community members to agree on one image to symbolize VRHS.

A “V” logo for VRHS, which is not new, was declared the winning design of a student competition earlier this year. A school-based committee with representatives from athletics, graphic arts, and the administration agreed on the colors and fonts to be used with it.

It was also agreed that the nickname, “Warriors,” would continue to be used.

At the end of Barile’s presentation, responses from BOE members were swift.

Secretary Rick Daniels expressed surprise that the topic of the mascot was being introduced at the meeting, saying that there had not been discussion on it since the board was presented with Leger’s petition in December. Addressing Chairwoman Kate Sandmann, Daniels asked if the competing petition with the username “Valley students” had been reviewed.

“This process has been…in my opinion, coercive,” said Daniels.

Other board members questioned the board’s authority to act on the matter.

“I can’t find where it’s in our purview,” said DG Fitton.

Board member Jennifer Clark, who voiced opposition to using logos or mascots associated with Native Americans, brought up the cost of removing such signage.

Fitton suggested letting taxpayers decide by making it a referendum item in this year’s budgeting process.

Other board members, such as Vice-Chair Jane Cavanaugh and Trisha Brookhart, emphasized the issue’s importance.

“I would like to get ahead of this,” said Cavanaugh.

“This is a discussion we need to have,” she added.

Brookhart echoed Cavanaugh’s sentiments.

“We need to get ahead of [it]…The state legislature may be taking it up,” said Brookhart. “It’s an embarrassment to be the last school in the state to do it.”

Representative Christine Palm (D-36), who represents Chester, Deep River, Essex, and Haddam in the state legislature, said in email correspondence with the Courier, “I’m glad the students and administration at Valley Regional are engaged in a meaningful conversation, which was prompted by a petition started by some alumni. It’s a great civics lesson, in part because it’s a reflection of a town’s values, and the people are deeply engaged by this debate.”

Nevertheless, Palm has adopted a firm position on the matter.

“Any stereotype of a group’s ethnic or cultural identity is wrong,” she said. “Native Americans have made it clear they are deeply offended by these images, and it is their voice that carries the most weight.”

In response to such dissent, several school districts throughout the state have taken the initiative to remove any reference, in mascot image or nickname, to Native Americans.

In Killingly, the town’s reversal on changing the name of its mascot to “Red Hawks” from “Red Men,” captured the attention of Connecticut House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz (D-30).

Earlier this year, the Hartford Courant reported Aresimowicz’s interest in introducing legislation to ban use of Native American mascots or nicknames in public schools, possibly withholding funding from towns that continue to do so.

Palm says that with a short session, “and especially now with legislative business interrupted by the coronavirus concerns, it’s unlikely this bill will be raised this year.”

Aresimowicz, in email correspondence with the Courier, confirmed that such legislation won’t be acted on by the legislature this year, but is pleased that “some schools and boards of education are looking to address this issue.”

“I’m particularly heartened that a lot of this discussion has been initiated at the student level, as I believe the use of Native American mascots is offensive and it is encouraging to see our young people coming together to take this on,” he said.

Palm pointed to Killingly as an example for VRHS and says, “I hope Deep River, Chester, and Essex can learn from that town’s experience and recognize that younger people are not okay with cultural stereotypes.

“It’s important, not only for our economic growth, in that we want young families to see our towns as welcoming and inclusive when they are making decisions about where to move; it’s also simply the right thing to do,” she added.

Last year, Maine was the first state to ban use of Native American imagery and nicknames in public school mascots.

When asked whether it would be important for VRHS to address the issue now or wait for such images to be removed by legislative mandate, White said in email correspondence with the Courier that “the [R4] BOE and administration is committed to engaging our school and our community stakeholders in a meaningful, inclusive process that will inform our decision making about this topic.”

Without a district policy denoting the ultimate decision maker, White said, “[T]he [R4 BOE] will have an important role to play in any decision making regarding the high school mascot.”