Oct 15 Meeting

Meeting Agenda

Video Recording of Meeting

Current Students/Staff

• I believe that this is the moment for us to change our mascot. But first, Hi, I’m a new student to the school and I want to share my story. When I had found out I’d gotten into Edgewood I was ecstatic, as you could imagine. It was a very highly rated school and now I was a part of the academic community. I had known about the mascot, but never given it too much attention. After all, there was only a slim chance I’d make it in. And then reality hit me- this mascot needed to be changed. This school’s been around for a while, and most of this current discussion includes history. We learn history as it had happened, but there are ways of embracing it that are wrong. For example, if we’re honoring the late Ais then why do we use the blanketed, racist term “Indian”? And if we are to truly honor their culture, then why do we wear their traditional clothing and headdress if we have no right to wear them ourselves? It defaces their culture. Furthermore, organizations for Native Americans have stated long ago that using Native Americans as mascots is wrong and must be amended. We are a smart community and our mascot should reflect that, rather than a racist caricature that we have to fix. Instead imagine The Edgewood Ospreys, displaying our academic integrity and appreciation for local wildlife. We could easily maintain school colors and the basis of our feathered logo if we use a fowl species (though hawks, commodores and eagles have already been taken by other Brevard county schools) with minimal changes involved. Our current mascot reflects poorly on us. We say we’re honoring the Ais, but they can’t tell us what is respectful and what isn’t (in respect to the mascot) as the Seminoles do because the Ais were wiped out in 1800. Now’s the time to ask yourself- are we truly honoring them, or are we dancing on their grave?

• I would like the committee to know how much I feel we should change the mascot for our school. I came to work here in the 2015-2016 school year - so under the previous administration. When I was making the decision about what position I would accept the previous summer there were a number of factors at play - of course - and I knew that for many reasons this would be the best fit for me and my family. However, I still hesitated to accept the position because of the mascot. I had serious concerns about the type of school culture I was entering into and into which I would bring my own children. I instruct my own children on the negative impact of attempting to homogenize hundreds of Indigenous Nations into one lump title bestowed by colonizers and which has no relationship to those peoples. But it is critical that we not discount the negative societal impact which perpetuating such heavily stereotyped caricatures of minority groups can have. Not all of that impact can be mitigated by parental input. Many others have already provided research sources on this topic, so I will just note that burying our heads in the sand and refusing to own that we are furthering a false and harmful narrative provides our students with no benefit. Rather, let us demonstrate to our students the behavior we all are attempting to teach them by modeling it for them. We learn, we grow our understanding over time, and we modify our behavior based on our updated knowledge. I have not met a member of the Edgewood community that I truly believe would denounce those ideals. It is vital that our student body recognize that we as adults are fallible - we make mistakes just like they do - and that’s okay provided that we learn from those errors. The ability to acknowledge our mistakes and move beyond them is one of the most valuable life skills. I state that it is vital and valuable because this is the very foundation of a growth mindset around which our school has rallied; the idea that we as humans are fully capable of development and improvement through effort and persistence. These concepts are incredibly difficult to teach outside of real-life circumstances. And we have a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate a real-world application of this process. Perhaps we may move forward more swiftly by not only focusing on why change is necessary but also on the positive opportunities a mascot change brings. How does our current mascot represent our school community as it is today? I would suggest that it in no way does. Edgewood is a highly ranked school of choice, with a core focus on academic excellence. Our students are insightful and driven. We as a school community are being presented with an amazing chance to create a rallying point for current and future students. What type of mascot may best represent our driven, high achieving, insightful young people? What type of mascot may become a point of pride for our school community? What type of mascot might our students rally around and engage with? It’s long past time for a mascot change, so let's focus on providing our students with one that represents their excellence without marginalizing minority communities.

• I want to address a couple of falsehoods I've seen posted here.

First of all, the Ais People, natives of Eastern Florida and the Merritt Island area, were most certainly NOT consulted in the naming of our mascot. They are a "lost" tribe, with no records of them existing past 1760. There's no in-tact cultural group representing the Ais in our area. So let's stop suggesting we chose to inaccurately name our school's mascot after them with their blessing. It's simply not possible that it is true.

I've also seen comparisons of this to the altering/ending of the Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben logos. Both of those images were created by white business owners wanting to capitalize on the images of people of color. Aunt Jemima was utilizing a racist caricature of an enslaved "mammy" figure (need proof -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aunt_Jemima#/media/File:JemimasWeddingDay.jpg -- but trigger warning here -- it's a highly racist image). Uncle Ben was named/designed after a waiter at Chicago hotel and then given a fantasy backstory. There is no record of him being paid for the use of his image. These are clear exploitation of images of POC for the benefit of others. Native mascots are the same. Our almost completely-non-Native American population using the (usually inaccurate) image of a Native American to channel antiquated ideas of their culture is inexcusable. Additionally, the use of a Native American mascot encourages supporters to dress up in "red face", which is problematic enough, but also often encourages even WORSE response from opposing fans (one school with a Native mascot reported "Trail of Tears" signs in an opposing crowd during a football game).

Finally, the suggestion that our mascot (and the Madison Mohawk) are acceptable simply because they haven't been the target of a protest in a community that lacks diversity is meaningless. Multiple representative Native American groups including the NCAI and the AAIA are on record as being against ALL Native American mascots. The NAACP has taken an official stance against them. The most recent of those proclamations is now 22 years old; the oldest is more than 50 years old. People have ALREADY said this is a bad mascot; our school has just ignored it up until now.

• After reading numerous public comments in favor of keeping our mascot, it seemed appropriate to more closely examine some of them.

Commenters have raised concerns that the timing for this change isn’t right, that the school has too much on its plate, etc. Lost in these arguments is the fact that, in the words of Dr. King, “this "Wait" has almost always meant "Never." Simply claiming that it is “the wrong time” is a preservation of the status quo and a clear attempt to shut down a discussion that needs to be had. When organizations have been pressing for the removal of Native American imagery and mascot usage for 50 years, maybe the time to “wait” is over.

Supporters of the change have come armed with peer reviewed evidence that shows a direct correlation between mascots like ours and toxic learning environments for students. I’m still waiting for any evidence or data from those opposed to the change. Some have even gone so far as to claim that there was some agreement with the Ais which, as far as they’ve been able to show, does not exist.

So many of the opponents to the change have claimed that the mascot somehow honors indigenous peoples because mascots show honor and courage and bravery or whatever, and that these are all important in sports. This argument falls short when we realize it’s entirely predicated on stereotyping in the form of equating ability (or traits) to a specific race. There is no way to not see how this is problematic, however “positive” it may seem.

Some of my favorite arguments have been framed as concern for “what will happen to other mascots,” and “what’s next, canceling Panthers,” and “are they now going to want to change the name of _______,” and on. I considered not addressing these arguments because they are, in many ways, ludicrous...but here we are. These are blatant slippery slope arguments that serve only to try and deflect from the issue at hand or to somehow scare anyone undecided about this issue into thinking that something they care about (Panthers, obviously) is at risk to be taken from them. Clearly, animal and occupational mascots are not even in the same realm as ours, and to claim so shows a serious lack of understanding. Renaming geographic areas is nowhere near deciding that a school should distance itself from a troubling mascot.

Much of the argument on the side of keeping the mascot has been bloviating about “erasure” and “not preserving history”. If we’re relying on mascots to teach history, we’re clearly doing something wrong. I also have a hard time understanding how inaccurate representations “preserve history” since none of the iterations of our mascot or logo in any way seem to accurately depict the group(s… there doesn’t seem to be consensus on that) that supporters seem to claim that they do.

In closing, I’d like to ask how many of the supporters of the current mascot have ever had the experience of countless current students coming to them to talk about the ways in which students of color (and also of the LGBTQ community) continually feel marginalized and under-represented at our school. Hearing their stories of racist stereotypes propagated amongst the student body, their stories of their concerns being blown off by the adults who hold the power to change things for the better, and of seeing and hearing the things that adults say about our school on facebook...it’s heartbreaking, and it’s been going on for years. There are clear links between all of these toxic forces, and our current mascot is both a contributor to and perpetuator of these forces that cause our students to feel unwelcome in a school they deserve to call their own.

• The indian has been our mascot over 60 years. It’s sad after 60 years that certain people have decided that we should change our mascot. Edgewood should remain the Indians. Keep our traditions.

• My suggestion for the new mascot is the Edgewood Ospreys. Ospreys are majestic yet fierce and a vital part of the Merritt Island eco system. This way we can keep the feathers on the E insignia as well.

• I disagree with the movement to change our mascot. My family has been a part of this school for over 15 years. I may only be a freshmen, but I’ve been an Edgewood Indian my whole life. Native Americans are a big part of our Florida heritage, I feel like we are paying homage to them. The Ais Indians occupied the land that our school now sits on, the Indian River was named after the Ais Indians. From what I’ve read, the Ais tribe disappeared hundreds of years ago so unfortunately we can not ask them their opinion on the matter. The Seminole tribe has given their blessing to FSU, I can only imagine the Ais would do the same if they were here. In all the documents I’ve read, they were never referred to as Ais Native Americans, but rather Ais Indians, hence the name given to the Indian River. Do the people opposed to the current mascot intend on campaigning to change the name of the river as well? I doubt it.

• IT NEVER BOTHERED ANYONE IN THE PAST WHY NOW IT BEEN EDGEWOOD INDIAN FROM DAY 1 ARE WE GONNA CHANGE EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD THAT UPSET SEVERAL PEOPLE WHAT NEXT JEFFERSON AND MUSTANG

• I disagree with changing the mascot. The mascot is not derogatory. The emblem we used to represent our school has been a fierce Native American Indian. He is not portrayed as a cartoon nor is he painted with a red face. Several tribes have made it known they do not feel an Indian mascot is offensive. In fact, the Seminoles have endorsed FSU. If you think they endorsed FSU simply because it’s the name of their tribe and not just the Indians then maybe we should add “Ais”to our mascot and become Edgewood Ais Indians. The Ais Indians notably wore red and black face paint which I’m guessing is how Edgewood’s colors came about. Maybe we could include some Native American Ais Indian culture and studies into our Tribe lessons. We need to stop changing history and just embrace it.

• The current mascot is an offensive caricature of a marginalized group; such mascot contributes to racism and discrimination on Edgewood's campus by promoting hurtful ideas and stereotypes about Native Americans.

• Institutional racism is so deeply ingrained in American culture, it can impact nearly every facet of life for people of color. Because black Americans are culturally obscured, and only understood by white Americans through a lens of prejudice, they develop double consciousness, and are forced to understand themselves not only from their own perspectives, but from the prejudiced, white supremacy-driven perspective of white Americans. Double consciousness is interpreted by some philosophers as a burden and a source of tension, and, by others, as a privilege and an opportunity to understand multiple perspectives. Members of the dominant group do not develop double consciousness when interacting with the oppressed because they are not forced to consider themselves from the perspective of others and are able to remain detached and fundamentally un-empathetic. I personally have experienced a lack of double consciousness in the context of my highschool’s mascot, which is a racist caricature of a racial minority. Empathetic border crossing is imperative in order to improve discrimination against people of color, and is a necessary step in order for members of a dominant group to understand the perspectives of the oppressed.

African-Americans are obscured by white Americans, and are often only understood through the lens of prejudice and racism. While black Americans are forced to be acutely aware of this negative perception held by many, they also know themselves from their own, non-prejudiced perspective. In “Souls of Black Folk,” W. E. B. Du Bois describes this phenomenon of dual self-understanding as double consciousness. Additionally, Du Bois argues that the veiled perception of black Americans is inherently wrong, and that the culture of African-Americans must be acknowledged and respected rather than veiled and obscured by their oppressors. The work opens with a concrete explanation of double consciousness and vivid examples of the concept in application, and later moves into a call to action, imploring readers to fight against racism and the veiling of black culture. Du Bois describes the experience of double consciousness as “An American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings” (Morse). This quotation emphasizes the tension felt by black Americans to exist within two forms. However, Du Bois later moves from describing double consciousness as a struggle and a source of tension to addressing it as an opportunity to understand a variety of perspectives. In his work “Darkwater,” Du Bois expands on double consciousness and addresses the idea of second sight. Du Bois addresses double consciousness as a privilege in this work, and argues that as a result of their double consciousness, black Americans are able to exist both within and outside of the white world, giving them the ability to understand multiple cultural perspectives that is lacked by their white counterparts.

Many other philosophers have expanded on and added to Du Bois’ idea of double consciousness. Marc Black, for example, addresses the discrepancy between members of the oppressed group’s dual perspective and the more detached, unconscious “border crossing” that occurs when members of the dominant group study its outsiders. Black describes how because the members of these dominant groups never re-examine themselves through the lens of the oppressed, they do not experience double consciousness, and instead, behave as tourists when interacting with members of different groups. Essentially, white Americans are able to study African-Americans without experiencing double-consciousness because they are never forced to acknowledge the power imbalance between the two groups, and are simply allowed to observe other cultures without “seeing themselves as whites from the perspectives of people of color” (Black). Black also suggests empathetic border crossing as a means to combat detached observation without any re-examination of one’s self. Empathetic border crossers aim to see themselves from the perspectives of the oppressed, rather than to observe the cultures of the oppressed from afar without any introspection. Essentially, Du Bois acknowledges that white Americans do not experience double consciousness, and offers a way for them to expand on their sense of self from the perspective of the oppressed.

I have personally experienced examples of a lack of double consciousness from white Americans within my high school student body. My high school’s mascot is the “Indians,” which not only blatantly shows the school’s lack of regard for racial sensitivity, but allows an “us against them” mentality to develop within conversations about race. Because the student body is less than 1% native American, and almost entirely white, the mascot is especially insensitive because it allows white students to become comfortable with the dehumanization of racial minorities. This mascot also shows an example of double consciousness because those in support of it have failed to see themselves as white from the perspective of ethnic minorities. The white students and staff members who chose and continue to fight for this racist caricature have only interacted with people of color as “tourists,” and have yet to engage in empathetic border crossing and consider the pain that is brought to minority students by the dehumanization of a racial minority within the school’s mascot. The use of native American headdresses as a prop during pep rallies shows just how comfortable white students have become with cultural appropriation and with the hurtful caricature of an oppressed ethnic group. This lack of double consciousness, and failure to consider the perspective of the oppressed show the importance of empathetic border crossing. The fact that the majority of the staff and student body are comfortable with this offensive mascot shows the significant and harmful effects that a lack of double consciousness can have on large groups of people.

I personally have never felt comfortable with my school’s mascot, and have campaigned for a change as long as I have attended the school in question. Because the student body is almost entirely white, I believe it is crucial that race is handled delicately and sensitively, and with empathetic border crossing, so as to not allow casual racism to follow alumni into the next chapters of their lives. This mascot allows the normalization of racism and dehumanization of racial minorities to thrive, which is particularly dangerous within a majority white student body. In order to develop multilateral double consciousness as a school, the mascot should be changed to an alternative that does not dehumanize an ethnic group, so as not to normalize casual racism and perpetuate non-empathetic border crossing within the student body.

Parents of Current Students/Staff

• As being of Native American blood, I feel this mascot shoould not be changed. It is not offensive and the focus of the school should be on more important things, than this.

• I think we can all agree the defunding the police and burning businesses across America is a bad idea. Sometimes change is not a good thing. Some would like to cancel all our history and cancel our culture. I feel like we need to acknowledge and grow from our past not erase it. I see nothing wrong with acknowledging the Indians with a school mascot, that is our history. I wonder are we going to change the name of the Indian river? We know the Indian River used to be called the River of Ais. How about the churches with the name in them? Are we going to change their names? I mean when will this end. Let’s keep our history and honor it with the mascot name and keep it the way it is, and has been.

• I vote against changing the Edgewood mascot. I am Native American and so are my children. Being called an Indian has never been a derogatory term to me. Even when it was not popular to be Indian I have always been proud of my heritage and proud to be an Indian. I love that both my children are Edgewood Indians and even more proud that they are Native American.

• I wish to endorse the change of the Edgewood mascot to something that is not offensive to either Native Americans, or natives of India. There is no reason to perpetuate racism, it provides no benefit and can do harm to those who are stereotyped.

• As a parent, I would like to see a new mascot. My daughter is on a team and we are so uncomforable with the mascot - it's not something you want to be shouting out to cheer. I can see the mascot being a real deterrent for students wanting to come to Edgewood. Why hold on to something like this just cause we had it in the past? We've done away with lots of terrible stuff which we used to have in the past. It's not a good excuse to continue prejudiced things that we can easily change. Time to move forward.

• ​On both Oct 23, 2018 and Oct 22, 2019, the Brevard County Commission approved a resolution to recognize the month of November as the National Native American Heritage Month as part of the Annual Native Rhythms Festival. The language in the resolution was chosen by those with Native American Heritage. As you read, you’ll see the term “American Indian” repeated multiple times.

WHEREAS, American Indians and Alaska Natives were the original inhabitants of the land that now constitutes the United States; and

​WHEREAS, American Indians and Alaska Natives have traditionally exhibited a respect for the finiteness of natural resources through a reverence for the earth; and

WHEREAS, American Indians and Alaska Natives have served with valor in all of America's wars beginning with the Revolutionary War through the conflict in the Persian Gulf; and

​WHEREAS, American Indians and Alaska Natives have made distinct and important contributions to the United States and the rest of the world in many fields, including agriculture, medicine, music, language, and art; and

WHEREAS, American Indians and Alaska Natives deserve to be recognized for their individual contributions to the United States as local and national leaders, artists, athletes, and scholars; and

​WHEREAS, this recognition will encourage self-esteem, pride, and self-awareness in American Indians and Alaska Natives of all ages; and

​WHEREAS, November is a time when many Americans commemorate a special time in the history of the United States when American Indians and English settlers celebrated the bounty of their harvest and the promise of new kinships.

​NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Brevard County, Florida, does hereby recognize the month of November 2018 as

National Native American Heritage Month.

DONE, ORDERED AND ADOPTED IN REGULAR SESSION THIS 23TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2018.

As you read here, local residents who are part of a festival to honor the heritage continue to include the terms “American Indian” in modern ceremonies.Simply, please don’t disrupt the school any further. Keep the Indian and keep the Traditions! Bring back the Indian statues and repaint the mural that was painted over.

• Changing the mascot name is wrong. I object to the overall cost of what this would do for this school. Not necessary. We’re in the middle of a pandemic our kids and teachers safety should be our #1 priority, not a mascot change!

• I agree that the mascot should be changed. When my oldest was starting at Edgewood (2018 grad) and we learned of the current mascot I was taken aback. It seemed incredibly insensitive and backward. Being at sporting events and hearing edgewood teams perform false stereotypical “Indian” chants (hand to mouth and all) is embarrassing. Change the mascot. Please. Become the edgewood hedgehogs even or find another mascot that better fits with the intent and focus of the school. Thank you.

• I ask that you keep the current mascot. A mascot is a symbol of strength and is respected. Students are proud of their mascot. My high school is Ks had an Indian mascot and it was a highly respected and cherished symbol in the community. The American Indians were honored that the community chose to honor them in their high school mascot. Every time this has been brought up it was the American Indian community that spoke up and said please don’t dishonor us by taking away our mascot! I ask that Edgewood do the same - remember that it’s an honor!

• I feel that the Edgewood Indian mascot shows respect and honor for great warriors. Changing a mascot is a waste of very limited resources at this time.

• I do not think that this is the time to worry about a mascot change. We have many other more important issues to deal with at this point. I am not in favor of a mascot change.

• As I had indicated in the last vote, my family would like to see the current Edgewood mascot retired since it is offensive to the population it depicts. Moreover, Edgewood has received input from this population voicing this very opinion. I do not understand why there needs to be multiple votes when Edgewood students and faculty have already voiced their approval to discontinue the mascot.

• I agree that the school mascot needs to be changed. The school cannot stand for racism or even the appearance of racism. Choosing a new mascot will send the right message to the students, the community, and all the stake holders. The process of choosing a new mascot can be fun and used as a exercise to bring together all the stakeholders. Thank you.

• Round 2: I strongly disagree with changing Edgewood mascot. Change for the sake of change removes our basis, our history, our community, our way of thinking. We are teaching people to change what they don't like and, when we do, empowering our future citizens to accept division as fact of life. Does the Edgewood Indian logo offend? Everything offends somebody. Maybe we move to rename our beloved Indian River Lagoon or Ulumay Wildlife Sanctuary as well? This is the wrong message to provide our children. Our message should be learn and adapt, not disagree and force change. Let's consider that ten's of thousands of students have graced the halls of Edgewood and worn the Indian with pride and honor. Those same students learn about history and we, effectively, are changing their history because a few people don't like it. I suggest the new students wanting change go read some history before it disappears.

• As a school that sets out to inspire and teach the next set of leaders for our community, we should strive to live by “do no harm” to others. Caricatures/mascots of oppressed groups has been documented as causing negative impacts. Choosing a new mascot is an opportunity to make the Edgewood experience inclusive for all.

• The majority of stakeholders do not want this change, however because they do not want to be labeled "racists" do not want to speak up. I have heard from many teachers and parents that view this as a non-issue and not something that should be taking up time and resources, yet the vocal minority has made this an issue. I grew up in MI and have lived here my whole life. I attended Edgewood for a short time in the 80's, and Edgewood's mascot has always been respected. The original logo with the Indian head was majestic and fierce, like the student and faculty of Edgewood before the vocal minority made the switch to the "E". We are not the "Edgewood scalpers or redskins", but simply the "Indians", just like the Minutemen, Statesmen, and Raiders. A group of people identified by a noun. Not a derogatory term, a noun. Changing this mascot will make a small percentage of people happy, but will cause a further divide in an already divided population. 432 schools across the nation still use the "Indians" moniker, do not let the vocal minority change who we are, what we do, and what we know.

• I will be the first to tell you that I do not have enough information on this topic. I don’t know why Edgewood’s mascot is an Indian. From what little I know, it is to honor the Native Americans who are from our area. I do t believe there is any disrespect toward Native Americans. I feel that the only reason to change Edgewood’s mascot is if any Native American groups feel disrespected or dishonored by Edgewood’s mascot. If this is not the case, removal of the mascot will also remove the honor and the recognition of their past. Really our past. We are all here today because of those who were before us. Shouldn’t we remember them, learn from them, and teach others? I choose to celebrate our differences to be better together.

• I am opposed to changing the mascot. I am also disappointed that this is even a consideration at this point in time. We need to be focusing on the content and educational value of what our children are learning. We need to be advocates for making sure each child in our school and district have equal access to transportation to choice schools. We need to ensure that our children are well prepared with critical thinking skills, that they are able to think for themselves. Give them the tools they need to make rational, well thought out decisions. We need to push for transparency of all issues the district faces. We need to have elected school board officials that actually listen to their constituents and weigh all options as opposed to just the ones they want to push. We need a return to common sense and decency for all.

• I believe the desire to change Edgewood's mascot is more about education and growing up then anything else. Our Native American predecessors do not belong in the same league as Mustangs, Tigers, Gators and mostly other animals that make up our school's mascots. Those who claim the mascot honors our heritage might be more believable if the mascot was Ais or Hoppe who were two of the tribes common to E. Central Fl. Indeed, the Florida State Seminoles may not feel the need to go through this process as they were named after a specific tribe who showed remarkable resiliency.

• I just wanted you to know that I am fine with either decision. I think many parents feel like this is not something to make a big fuss over, and I feel bad that this added stress has been piled on top of the most stressful school year ever. So I just wanna say thank you for all your time and effort into this and I hope it works out well. I personally think the Indian is fine, but I know others feel the opposite. It's so hard to please everyone these days. Well, have a great day. Thanks again!

• I vote for Edgewood Jr/Sr. Highschool mascot remains no change. The current mascot is perfectly fine! It is a great symbol to respect the Indian's. It is the soul of Edgewood culture. No change please!

• Native mascots dehumanize Indigenous people by using disparaging stereotypes and outdated caricatures. This does nothing to honor the first people of Florida but instead disregards the real challenges Native peoples face. Changing a logo or mascot is not part of PC culture; it is simply doing what the people we are saying we want to honor want us to do. The vast majority of tribal organizations have been speaking out against native mascots for decades; if we really want to honor them, shouldn't we begin by listening to them?

• I am against changing the mascot. I know the SAC committee has already had a vote and I doubt any of these letters will change their minds. That being said, I still feel I should voice my opinion. A few years ago our flagpole on the athletic field fell. You would think that would be an easy fix. Well, to my surprise, it took years to replace. It took so long that A fellow parent approached our school administrators and offered to buy in and erect a new pole with the American flag. He was turned down and told no, that all paperwork and repairs needed to go through the Brevard County schools. Really?!? Now, fast forward to current day and all of a sudden the gym can be resurfaced and Indians be painted over by community volunteers at no cost. It’s very strange to me that we could not get an AMERICAN flag flying, but we can get our mascot changed. There seems to be some strange logic going on here. First it was our flag, now it’s our Native American Indian. What’s next??

• Thank you for considering this important question. I think it is vital to distinguish between "intent" and "impact" when addressing this issue. I don't think anyone believes the school had racist intent when establishing the "Indian" mascot. It has always been intended as an honor. However, the American Psychological Association has determined that "Indian" mascots cause real harm, both to native and non-native students, by reinforcing stereotypes. Once it becomes apparent that there is a harmful impact, I believe change becomes necessary.

• The US Commission on Civil Rights, the highest official governmental body of its kind, issued a strong statement in 2001 recommending that schools eliminate Indian images and nicknames as sports symbols. The National Council for American Indians is strongly opposed to the use of native imagery as mascots (see http://www.ncai.org/proudtobe?fbclid=IwAR2uxCg8b9HLoymaRYN88XdpaRrM7KxxGUtevf_6zJPpM60_WQiqncFmjNI). In 2005, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) established an extensive policy to remove harmful “Indian” mascots.

It would be terrible for the school's mascot to hurt any of our students and we have seen many instances recently where people of note have been called to account for actions as students. For example, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau has been excoriated for "brownface" when photos from a Halloween party surfaced (he was dressed as Aladdin). I would not want photos of students wearing a headdress or war paint to darken their bright futures.

Furthermore, we don't know how many amazing students are choosing not to attend Edgewood for this reason. I want our school to attract the best and brightest,without reservation.

This is a divisive issue, as change is often difficult. The entire purpose of a mascot is to unite. The very fact that it is a divisive issue means we need to move forward with this change.

I want my children to learn that change is okay and that we should always change our behavior if we discover that our actions are hurting someone. I want them to learn that their voices matter and that they can always stand up for the right thing. I am extremely grateful for the example the school is setting for them in addressing this issue.

• I do not think that we should change the mascot. I have heard there are volunteers to change things at no cost to the school, or the county, but I find that hard to believe.  The school, the county and the sports programs will incur costs. I do not for one minute believe that there will be no cost and everything is voluntarily paid for. We are short teachers, bus drivers, and school nurses. Not to mention the veteran teachers just got completely shafted on raises. We have much bigger fish to fry than changing a mascot. Our current mascot is the portrait of a brave, fierce, strong Native American Indian. That’s what I would like to represent our school. I know a lot of parents/kids who will continue to wear their Indian spirit wear until graduation day (which in some cases are years away). I have a feeling the committee has already made up their minds and this vote is just a futile attempt to appease the pro mascot people. What has happened is the school is being divided, just like what is happening to our whole country right now. It’s a shame.

• I think the current mascot is offensive. A mascot should not be a caricature of a race of people. It is well past time it was changed. We as a society do not need to keep offending an entire race of Americans to “remember our history”. Our schools current mascot in no longer inline with what Edgewood stands for and it needs to be changed.

• I write to address two points: the mascot controversy itself, and what the controversy has revealed about the Edgewood community. Having extensively read the earlier series of comments on this topic, I was struck by how many of the student comments revealed a nearly overwhelming sense of outrage. And I wonder: who's teaching them that? If our current political climate shows us anything, it shows us that feelings of self-righteousness and moral superiority are toxic. They are as addictive as narcotics, and orders of magnitude more destructive. Cities in this country have burned in recent months, not because of racism, but because of people who believe that their outrage, and their feelings of moral superiority, give them license. This school does itself, its students, and the community at large no favors if it abets the production of the next generation of outrage junkies. It serves its students well by both teaching and demonstrating that even contentious and emotionally-charged issues can be discussed calmly and respectfully--and that it never hurts to have enough humility to ask yourself whether your opponents might have a point. With regard to the mascot itself: the Edgewood Indian mascot is neither a cartoon nor a caricature. It is a dignified, respectful, and historically accurate representation of people who actually existed. Those who seek (ironically, in the name of "fighting racism") to remove such representations are erasing the memory of these people of color from the public sphere, and these people deserve better than to be erased.

• I support the efforts of the NCAI and affiliated organizations in their position that the use of "Indian" mascots was born of an era when racism and bigotry were accepted by the dominant culture. There exists today, a very real need to take immediate action in a number of areas, including the removal of harmful images as well as the education of the general public, to diffuse additional hateful activity against Native peoples.

Alumni

• I attended Edgewood Junior High School from 1974-1976. I think it is absolutely ridiculous to remove our Mascot. This does not affect Native Americans in anyway - we apparently love the Native Americans to have honored them in such a way as to have an Indian mascot. I know I am part Native American and I am not offended by it. Edgewood is and will continue to hold a piece of my heart. When I come home - I always make an effort to drive to the school. It is and will forever be one of the greatest schools I ever attended. Changing the mascot is insane. Please do not remove our Indian Mascot.

• As an alumni and previous Mr. Edgewood Junior High School Indian my 9th grade year, I have always been proud of the fact that I was an Edgewood “Indian”. I think the PC movement has gone too far and believe the vast majority of people would like to remember the “good ole days” and would like to remain Edgewood Indians. Please keep the originally intended name. Regards, ____.

• I understand that there is a group that have been progressively trying to change the mascot for Edgewood. The information that has been shared with the community is that the mascot name is either being retired, or has been deemed racist by some. I personally went to school at Edgewood at a time the Ais Indians shared many Exibits and demonstrations of their culture. They spent time explaining how they partook in the brick laying if this very school. My children went to school at Edgewood and were privileged to see and hear these say Demonstrations. One year they came and blessed our school and we named each home room with a name from their Tribe. I also spent many years working at Edgewood over 25 with the pleasure of seeing the Local Tribe continue to come to our fundraisers and Exibits. I never in all the 54 years that I have been in Merritt Island heard or witnessed anything racist, or warrant retirement of such a Wonderful Historic and Cultural experience and name of Honor to a school. I understand there are areas in and about the US that are using racism or even experiencing racism. But I in all my years have not ever seen this come from Our community or our school. It’s been and hopefully will continue to be a culture that Merritt Islanders have embraced and honored. Along with the school having this Indian mascot, our area has many historic names that share the Indian culture and name. In times when there is enough difficulty even sending our kids to school, I’m sure there is a better option of putting our time and energy and monies, into making a difference. I would hope that this group that are making life long changes understand that this community is, has, and would like to continue having our Indian mascot and Pride.

• The Edgewood mascot, like all mascots, was picked to reflect a symbol that personified what was wanted from our sports teams - fierceness, determination, strength, honor, and pride. The Indian, as a mascot, is the epitome of all these attributes and more- much more. By making the choice to use this symbol, we pay homage to these people, their culture, their sense of pride in themselves, and their struggles to survive, both ante and post American expansion. By changing this mascot to something more "palatable", "sensitive", or "politically correct" (because that's what this is about), you deny that homage, you negate their contributions and our attempt to honor their memories, and engage in cancel culture. Enough. Stop censoring images of minorities because you think they're offensive. By doing so you succumb to the mob mentality, negating ALL images that you feel are inappropriate - think Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, Land O' Lakes, all images designed by their respective ethnic members - and homogenizing or deleting them from the collective consciousness. Stop- just stop it. You're using "1984" as a guideline, not a warning. Leave our mascot be. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter, and trust you will act in a manner that respects our wishes and intentions in regards to our beloved mascot.

• It’s not right to change our mascot

• Please change the mascot. I believe that former and current students should have the biggest voice in this decision because we are the ones that have had to shamefully wear the Edgewood Indians name at things like sporting events. I never felt that I could express school spirit because I was uncomfortable with the mascot and to me dressing up as an “Indian” character is extremely racist and degrading to the Native American nations that our country has systematically destroyed. It was a poor decision to begin with and it needs to be corrected. If not now, it will happen eventually, so why not now?

• Mascot name change, it is very sad after all these years this has became an issue with new comers to our Island. Edgewood was built with pride from the Ais Indians This is Culture not racist. My Husband and I are very proud of our Mascot. We are are true original Born and raised in Merritt Island. Never thought we would see this kind of politics in our town that we are all very proud of. Change is good but no one needs to come in and start tearing down our town for political reasons. History is made for a reason.

• Has anyone considered contacting the Florida Seminole Indian Tribe? If approached correctly, as did Florida State University, they may be inclined to endorse the continued identification with Native Indians by Edgewood Jr/Sr High School. Imagine the value of the possibility of having the Seminole Indians participating in educating today's students on their history, customs and values. My maternal grandmother was Cherokee and I was proud to be an EJH Indian from 67 to 70.

• This is ridiculous.

• As a semi-recent graduate of Edgewood, I have an advantage by way of having actually attended the school in recent times. I have sat through classes and listens to what teacher said, and more often than not one thing we learned was how it was in poor taste to appropriate Native Americans. I’m not even going to get started on why we stared calling the native indigenous people “Indians” in the first place. The best response I’ve seen to why we should keep “Indians” has been tradition and it’s “honoring” them. Something I learned very well while at Edgewood was to step forward when you see something wrong and to fix things to make it a better place. Just because something is a “tradition” doesn’t mean it’s right. There used to be “traditions” of cannibalism, but we know that’s wrong and don’t practice those anymore. Also, how are we “honoring” the native people by calling them a term white men called them simply because they thought they landed in a different area? The answer: we aren’t. Even the National Congress of American Indians stated that Edgewood is not honoring them and they don’t wish to be “honored” like this. The best way to honor natives is to respect their names, not appropriate their culture by allowing white people to dress up as them, and funding/preserving reservations. Naming a mascot for a school with barely a 1% population of Native Americans is not honoring them and it’s definitely not a tradition we need to keep. As a nationally ranked school of choice we need to show America that we care and are always constantly striving for improvement to prove our worthiness of being in the national spotlight. We don’t want to be known for the wrong reasons.

• I am against changing the mascot name until there is a written policy in place on how this is to be accomplished. First a vote on the policy. Next public discussion with input from the alumni.

• Do not change the mascot name.

• It is a symbol of pride, not disrespect

• I do not agree with changing the Indian Mascot. It has been symbolic of strength in our community and is seen as such. It is a tribute to our local Native Americans and I would hate to see it go. Furthermore, the changes would cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. I think there are programs that desperately could use that money to better the educational experience for students in Brevard County.

• I was a student and graduated in 2014. The mascot and actions relating to prep rallies were blatantly racist. There’s no way to go back in time but you have a chance to make it right now. Show future generations it will not be looked over. Rise above the racists who disrespect anyone that is different from them.

• I am in favor of changing the Indian mascot. Although the intentions when the mascot was chosen were not bad, in 2020 we are more enlightened and shouldn't use an ethnic group as a mascot. It does not erase history, just becomes a new chapter.

• I went to school at Edgewood Jr High in the 70's . I was proud of my school and being known as the Edgewood Indians. The school has had this name for so many years , why change it? Has it ever caused a problem? Have the guts to keep the name. Why do we have to lose what is special to us? I think it would be a sad shame to change it.

• I vote for change. Pick an animal or something that won't hurt the pride or belittle someone's culture. We have the Merritt island mustangs why not the edgewood wolves?

• Edgewood Indians have been the school’s mascot for as long as I can remember probably since it was built. Nobody is talking about changing the Mustangs to another mascot. Leave the Edgewood Indians alone!!!

• Keep it. Do not erase the Ais. We should not let this symbol of honor, respect and history be erased. We should not water down who we are just to satisfy a few. The native culture has become a part of our Island culture for the many who have passed through that school. Go Indians !!

• Leave it the ---- alone i went there the first year it open. I saw it being built from Merritt island elementary.im 72 years old leave it alone

• Do not change the name of our school

• This is not a native American Indian thing. It is a name we have all been a part of. Let us use it to pay tribute to who settled here first! Go Indians

• I think that this is a school and staff decision. Schools change their mascots all the time. I remember when Tropical Trailblazers were the Trojans. This will not change the great school that Edgewood was and continues to be. If there is anything we can learn from this, maybe it is that we should teach history in a more honest way. Growing up my education surrounding American Indians was in no way accurate and was insulting to the culture. I teach my children a more accurate depiction of history and the way we truly treated the indigenous people of our country. We do not have to make this issue a fight but we can instead approach it as a learning moment. Let’s teach our children and community tolerance and understanding of other cultures and people. Let’s all say “this is no longer what Edgewood represents, and that’s ok”. We can move on smarter and kinder.

• I do not support changing the Indian mascot. Please keep it as the Edgewood Indians. I have always been proud to be an Edgewood Indian. Thank you

• I went to Edgewood from 1992-1994. Even back then, when no one was talking about race to this extent, I hated going to pep rallies. The chant and the tomahawk chop made our mascot such a gross caricature. As an Asian girl, it reminded me of the bullying I received: kids pulling back the corners of their eyelids and speaking to me in broken English. Our mascot did not make me proud to be an Edgewood Indian. It made me realize that anyone who is not white is not safe and not respected. As an adult, I moved to the DC area, where our football team was, quite literally, a racial slur. When I would argue with co-workers about this, they would say, "Well, that's not what it means to me." This attitude is infuriating. If the apartment above mine has a leak and it ruins my ceiling, my walls, my carpet, the landlord should not be able to say, "Well, it doesn't look wet to me, so I will not do anything about it." It's been exciting to see the Washington football team change its name. It gives me hope. The arguments against changing the name echo the arguments against changing the Edgewood mascot: that this is the way it's always been and there's nothing wrong with it. Nostalgia won't get us anywhere as a society. We have to change to grow. Let's lead by example and make the choice to end the racist practice of naming mascots after groups of marginalized people.

Parents of Alumni

• A few thoughts for your discussion, in no particular order of importance:

1) The word "indians" in itself is not appropriate or applicable to be used in describing Native Americans so assuming you would keep the mascot but change the terminology then what would you use? Warriors? Seems like you're labeling them with a negative connotation. American Indians? Problematic in use and would likely promote the shortened use of the current word. I'm really not seeing a good alternative.

2) I've seen it argued that no one but a couple of people are complaining. Whether that is true or not, I will relate my own experience. While volunteering in the office a few years ago, I took a call from someone who wished to make that exact complaint. I was inexperienced in that role and described the call to those present in the office in order to obtain some guidance as to what to do next. I was instantly ranted at about the whole subject by someone who was there at the time. Needless to say, I was never given any direction as to how to further address the call. I truly meant to relay the message to administration but I was so incredibly busy at the time that I never did and I've always regretted it. Forward to the current time and I have seen this same person to be very vocal and pushing opposition during community discussions on Facebook. Given the situation I encountered, how confident can you be that there haven't been any complaints as claimed?

3) If you are around the school campus, you can see varying images of Native Americans. Some are respectful but others are very much caricatures. My own son, a former student, has long dismayed the use of, in his words, the "racist picture" of a Native American on Edgewood paraphernalia. In fact, I had ordered graduation announcements at one time and the image was so horrible that I wouldn't and didn't send it out. Personally I've been on campus when someone in a mascot suit was promoting school spirit and I (and others with me) literally cringed when we saw it because it was such a stereotypical caricature.

4) Several years ago, in an unrelated discussion with someone who is Native American, she told me that the use of feathers by others bothered her because of what they meant in her culture. Her grandfather was a chief in her community, and per her, they are earned and awarded as a measure of respect and accomplishment so she sees flippant use of them as an insult. Although I had known that on some level, I didn't realize the depth of it until she told me. I don't know that I agree with her in every circumstance but I can see her point.

5) I've read some of the discussion on the Edgewood and community Facebook pages and, from what I can see, the actual vocal number of stakeholders (students, employees, teachers, parents) arguing hard against a change are the same number of those arguing for it. Most others weighing in on that forum have no connection to the school (they even say it in their comments). I'm sure actual stakeholders are on both sides but shouldn't the highest weight in this decision be given to those who are? The only other feedback I saw/heard, in the form of a few former students' comments, was that they felt that changing it was a good thing.

6) Go to the source, part A. Directly from their website, The National Congress of American Indians says: "NCAI's position is clear, longstanding, and deeply rooted in our seventy years as a leading voice for Indian Country - we advocate for and protect the civil rights, social justice, and racial equity of all Native people in all parts of American society.

About "Indian" Sports Mascots & Harm

Born in an era when racism and bigotry were accepted by the dominant culture, "Indian" sports brands have grown to become multi-million dollar franchises . The intolerance and harm promoted by these “Indian” sports mascots, logos, or symbols, have very real consequences for Native people. Specifically, rather than honoring Native peoples, these caricatures and stereotypes are harmful, perpetuate negative stereotypes of America’s first peoples, and contribute to a disregard for the personhood of Native peoples. As documented in a comprehensive review of decades of social science research, derogatory "Indian" sports mascots have serious psychological, social and cultural consequences for Native Americans, especially Native youth. Of today’s American Indian and Alaska Native population, those under the age of 18 make up 32 percent, and Native youth under the age of 24 represent nearly half, or 42 percent, of the entire Native population. Most concerning in considering negative stereotypes of Native people, are the alarmingly high rates of hate crimes against Native people. According to Department of Justice analysis, “American Indians are more likely than people of other races to experience violence at the hands of someone of a different race.” These factors together indicate a very real need to take immediate action in a number of areas, including the removal of harmful images as well as the education of the general public, to diffuse additional hateful activity against Native peoples." Source:* Ending the Era of Harmful “Indian” Mascots - http://www.ncai.org/proudtobe

7) Go to the source, part B. An opinion from James Riding In, a founding member of Arizona State University's American Indian Studies Program and a citizen of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, says the use of the name is unacceptable. "I flatly reject the contention of team owners and sports fans that American Indian-oriented team names, logos and mascots in professional and amateur sports pay homage to Indian bravery and courage," Riding In told ASU Now. "Their so-called honoring celebrations of Indian heroism are not only misguided, harmful and offensive to Indians but are also inextricably tied to this nation’s history of racism."

Sources:* Native American mascots - honoring culture or symbol of disrespect? - https://globalsportmatters.com/culture/2018/04/24/native-american-mascots-honoring-culture-symbol-disrespect/
* As football season returns, so does sports name controversy -https://asunow.asu.edu/20180906-global-engagement-football-season-returns-so-does-sports-name-controversy

8) I've also seen discussions (in the same forums mentioned above) which argue some Native Americans don't have an issue with the use of "indians" as a mascot. There was also a poll which supported this published in The Washington Post which I've seen posted in argument (someone will probably provide it so I will not).

I ran across this article written by Jacqueline Keeler, a Navajo/Yankton Dakota Sioux writer living in Portland, Oregon and co-founder of Eradicating Offensive Native Mascotry (creators of the hashtag #NotYourMascot) where she disputes the accuracy of the poll for reasons stated in the article.

She also writes, "Given that I have 50 first cousins who are enrolled in the Navajo and Yankton Dakota Sioux Nations, none of whom likes the team name, I found the results to be curious. When I looked more closely at the methodology of the poll, I was appalled." and she quotes Brian Pollard, board member of the Native American Journalists Association and former Cherokee Phoenix editor as saying, “What they’ve created is a piece of data that drives a narrative they desired. This is pretty much frowned upon in the world of journalism to create a story in this way. It would be different if Stanford did a poll and The Washington Post covered it. That to me would be much more ethical from a journalistic standpoint. But this was way beyond that. This was something they manufactured from the beginning.”

Furthermore, she concludes by saying, "Even if the poll was conducted perfectly and even if the results had been completely reversed, The Washington Post did a grave disservice by utterly ignoring studies that clearly demonstrate the harm mascotting causes to Native youth—the most vulnerable population in the country by almost any statistic.

Our young people have a rate of suicide 2.5 times higher than average. According to the American Psychological Association, which has called for the ending of the practice of mascotting, Native youth suffer measurably lower self-esteem after exposure to a Native American mascot. It also found that Native respondents who claim to be okay with Native mascots actually experience a greater drop in self-esteem. This finding is particularly relevant to the Washington Post poll, which has been widely interpreted as proof that there’s no harm in using the slur for a $2 billion NFL franchise in the nation’s capital."

Source:* On the Shameful and Skewed ‘Redskins’ Poll - https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/on-the-shameful-and-skewed-redskins-poll/

9) And finally I ask, does further use of the mascot have the potential of harm? Based upon the information above, I would say yes, so how can there be a justification for keeping the use of it?

• Both my children are alumni and were 2 of your top students. My son got the Congressional Medal of Merit and he used to dress as the mascot, is he a racist now? This is getting very offensive and you should not be breaking decades of tradition. Using the schools current twisted logic we should be getting rid of the mascots Spartans, Fighting Irish, Minutemen, Cowboys, Vikings, Highlanders.....All the Indian name describes is a people, not a skin tone. Stop rewriting history!

• As a proud parent of an Edgewood Jr/Sr High School Indian Class of 2020, imagine the surprise, then sadness, then anger, when an email was sent out today to inform the Edgewood community that after a “committee” was formed to research the idea of changing the school mascot, because members of the Edgewood community reached out to Principal Ingratta, a unanimous decision was reached to retire the Indian as mascot. This was a “hand-picked” group, or it most definitely would not have been unanimous. Per one of the Asst. Principals the group included coaches, teachers, alumni, PTO members, SG kids, but apparently didn’t include four of the coaches, a long term PTO officer or SGA kids(some officers) that I’ve spoken with this morning, who’ve also been blind-sided by this. In reality, this was done under a veil of secrecy.

First, why was this committee kept a secret? Why weren’t all of the parents, students, teachers, coaches and alumni, at least informed that this was taking place. I know the answer, but maybe the school board needs to be aware that there is a group of employees/parents at Edgewood who like to do things in a vacuum. Don’t get me wrong…we have loved our Edgewood family, but over the last 3 years or so, things have changed and not for the better. The atmosphere is becoming hostile and very politically charged, starting from the top down.

The mascot discussion has been pushed several times on our Edgewood parents FB page over the last 6 months, and with the exception of the two parents who have become “woke” (to use the term that has become synonymous with those who think that they can totally rid the world of any discrimination/oppression, etc.), everyone else disagreed. I think it would be a fair assessment to say that a majority do not want a mascot name change.

Our district struggles enough with finances, especially schools like Edgewood…the last thing we need to be spending money on is the ridiculous change of a mascot and all that entails, and it would be expensive! We have multiple sports that are self-pay and uniforms/equipment aren’t cheap and we try to use them for years. Changing the name means that families would once again be asked to come up with additional funds to replace perfectly good gear, all to appease someone’s agenda. In the wake of the Covid-era, families are already struggling financially, why on earth would you straddle them with the additional expenses this would bring to appease a few? With all the changes that Covid has inflicted on our world, our families, our children and our schools, a little normalcy is what is needed, not change for the sake of someone’s agenda.

Lastly, I am a proud woman with a Cherokee heritage (my great grandmother was one half Cherokee). My grandfather would always get upset when people started talking about changing the Mascots of the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, etc. He was proud of his “Indian” heritage and never thought it was offensive and if you do a little research, the majority of native Americans polled don’t either. A Washington Post poll of Native Americans (a poll that has been done more than once over decades with very little change in the results) continually shows that 90% of Native Americans are NOT offended by the use of these mascots. If we continue to succumb to the “oh, we might offend someone, so let’s fix it” mentality, where does it end? The Cowboys, the Raiders, the Giants, the Vikings, the Rangers’ and my favorite…the Brown’s! Any of these “could” and will offend someone. I’m also a Texan and as much as I wish this was a joke, there is talk of changing the MLB Texas Rangers, because law enforcement is offensive to the some! At some point, things start spiraling out of control, which right now is already happening in our country. I mean, who would have ever thought that the name “Karen” would have become offensive? It's time for the silent majority to speak up as well.

In closing, I would ask that this name change not take place and at the very least, the school board require that these things are decided in a more democratic way. The school doesn’t belong to a select few, but to all of us. Go Indians!

• I do not believe the Edgewood mascot should change. Indians represent a major part of our county’s and state’s history. It would be a shame to erase that. I have lived in Brevard County all my life and have seen many changes throughout the state of Florida. I love Brevard County because it has not changed that much, especially Merritt Island. I would like to see Edgewood keep the Indian. It might be a good idea to educate the students about the history of florida and the people who settled the land. Use this time to educate and not divide our precious Island. Power is a crazy thing, the people who have it tend to abuse it. The decision to try to change the mascot has been in the making for about the last 5 years, when the new administration came in to play. The Indian murals have already been painted over, the spirit wear has no Indian logo, it’s been slowly changing for a while, piece by piece in hopes no one would notice.

Community

• Native American Guardian Association: www.nagaeducation.org

• TRADITIONS ARE RARE. STOP THE STUPID CANCEL TREND. WHY DON'T YOU TEAR DOWN SOME STATUES ALSO??? TALIBAN /COMMUNIST TRADITIONS...

• As a tribal member I am not offended by an Indian being used as a school mascot. In Oklahoma where my tribe is (Choctaw) you will see Native American signs of honor everywhere. As an American Indian I can 100% tell you we are not so _____ as a tribe to take offense to a mascot, we have bigger worries we are fighting for! Land, equality, quality of life, education for our people, employment. We once were rich in land, our people lived well off the land, they worked hard and our way of life was taken with nothing in return. I could continue but you get the drift, we have bigger fights that need our attention a mascot just isn't on our radar! Yall wanna be politically correct start with one of the above issues!

• I am NOT in favor of changing the current mascot. I am the grandparent of two Edgewood Indians and I have lived in the community for many years. I have seen Edgewood go through changes in the past, some not being very popular. Edgewood has been ranked one of the leading schools in the nation, however, in the last few years their scores have started to fall. I hope that the administration will change their focus from changing a mascot to putting focus back onto the school itself. As it stands, we are short teachers, some students forced to take classes online, we are in the midst of a Pandemic, parents are suffering job losses or pay cuts, suicide and depression are at an all time high, I could go on and on. There are so many other things we can do to better our community. I wish the few people who spearheaded this change would go out and do some good and make a difference in our community. As for the businesses who "volunteered" their services to make changes to our Indian, I invite them to take their services to the streets and the community to do some good where it is truly needed.

• This hypersensitive political correctness must stop. To use any name for a team or mascot is not demeaning in any way. If anything it should be viewed as honoring to the group, institution or person named.

• Mascots are not more important than people

• I vote not to change the mascot.

• Leave the mascot alone. All my kids went to Edgewood and the mascot is tradition.

• The mascot is in need of change. Please continue reading, those who stop after the first sentence. :)

Here’s the crux of the issue. “All y’all look alike” is a tired stereotyping trope that is recognized as unacceptable. The term “Indian” is the oldest and most embarrassing manifestation of “all y’all people look alike”, as it is a historical artifact of an ignorant group of people, mistaking Native North Americans for other dark-skinned people, “Indians” from actual, you know, India. So the word itself is not only a misnomer and a generalization for First Peoples here, it’s also a mark of foolishness that we Caucasians at one time used; but it’s almost more criminal and an artifact of stubborn foolishness that we Caucasians refuse to let go of this mislabeling because “that’s what we call them”. Should that be thought of as “erasing history”? Yes, perhaps that erases a history of our own ignorance, if that’s the concern.

This is a reasonable consideration for thought by Caucasians like myself, that removing a mark of ignorance is worth doing, because stubbornly clinging to a generalization label that was hand-waved at multiple nations is in some ways even worse. Are we unable or unwilling to grow?

Some might argue that the only persons who should weigh in on this subject are Native Americans, as they are the ones who are directly subjected to that label. While I don’t have the experience of a Native person, I do consider it an improvement even to Caucasians to abandon stubbornness and embrace self-improvement. It’s ok to admit that labels were wrong to begin with.

But let’s open this up and consider the opinion of Native Americans, then. The superintendent, school board, and principal, all received a letter on this issue from the Vice President of The National Congress of American Indians asking that the use of “Indian” as a mascot be discontinued, citing numerous studies on negative social and psychological effects of Native American mascots. That’s a pretty big underscore and reinforcement of the community remarks that the principal has been receiving for YEARS on the subject. This is why she opened this process for community engagement and discussion.

Many in the community who cling tightly to the notion that this Indian Mascot somehow “honours” the local Ais tribe don’t understand that the Ais tribe (extinct for 300 years, by the way, and NOT involved in the bricklaying of the school, as some have claimed) looked nothing like that mascot. They were tall, didn’t wear clothing, did NOT have headdresses, in fact all the celebrations, POW-wows and “tribe time” are pretty misrepresentative of the Ais, as they are elements of tribes from totally different areas of the country. You wouldn’t honour Scotsmen with a stereotypical Venetian gondola driver and say “meh, all y’all euros look alike”. It’s an ignorant generalization. Edgewood, as a school of choice, as the opportunity to BE BETTER than that.

Finally, I have paid attention to social media and the venomous kickback on the administration and staff of this school. In particular, I have seen former parents and former staff members hurl insults and insinuations against the school Principal, “for doing this without engaging the community”. While I have my own thoughts about whether this should even NEED the community buy-in, I do know that Ms. Ingratta has made it clear that there have been numerous years of feedback EXACTLY asking for this change to be considered. Community engagement GOT US HERE. This community is fortunate to have a Principal who considers all opinions, manages Coronavirus responses, engages e-Learning, and facilitates community forums for civil conversation, all while maintaining the onerous task of running a school. Shame on those who take it upon themselves to place blame on her or accuse her of pushing an agenda, when all she has done is create a forum for discussion.

Let’s think this through. Rather than close-mindedly vomiting out an automatic knee-jerk reaction of “liberal puppet”, “virtue signaler”, “cancel culture”, or “biased erasure of history”, a good academic institution would consider these concerns with an open mind. Changing the mascot removes an ignorant generalization, shows an ability to be introspective and yes, moves on from obstinacy, and quite frankly, allows the community a democratic voice to select a mascot that represents all.

• As a community member who’s lived in Merritt Island for over 40 years, I have to disagree with changing the mascot of Edgewood. All of Brevard County is emblazoned with the term Indian, our glorious river, neighborhoods, businesses, and so forth. We should be proud of our county’s heritage, and honor the people who lived here before us. They are native American Indians. There is nothing derogatory or offensive about that. It is history. It is time to stop rewriting history.

• My first question, as a 'choice' school, is why students would actually want to 'choose' attending this 'choice' school if the mascot was so offensive. This just doesn't make sense to me, and makes this seem more political or self-serving in order to make a statement for college admissions. Second, this has been the mascot for many years and there is no reason to change. Third, this is putting stress on many of your teachers. Fourth, this doesn't just affect Edgewood but the district as well, and will not only cost Edgewood money, but the district. This is a complete waste of time and money and can't believe this is a priority at this time. And I will add that this process was very short.