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GHS Mascot Conversation to Continue in March

Guilford Public Schools is tentatively scheduled to hold a discussion on Wednesday, March 11 about the recent controversy over Guilford High School’s (GHS) mascot, according to GHS Communications Coordinator Lorri Hahn.

The mascot discussion will be part of a larger community conversation on “topics of equity, diversity, and inclusion,” Hahn told the Courier via email. She also said that the schools are seeking “input and guidance from the local Native American tribes.”

The GHS mascot or nickname has been the Indians since 1949. Since then, GHS has used Native American imagery widely considered offensive by indigenous advocacy groups, though the school has scaled back much of its usage of those images in recent years.

Controversy over the mascot or nickname has arisen intermittently over the last two decades, most recently this past fall, with many residents defending the history of the name and its positive connotations to them and others calling it inherently offensive.

Superintendent of Schools Paul Freeman told the Courier in December that he would prioritize in-person, face-to-face conversations regarding the mascot issue.

The Courier will provide updates on the meeting time and location as the details become available.