Plymouth-Canton school board prepares to retire Canton High School's 'Chief' mascot

The Plymouth-Canton school board faces opposition Tuesday as it prepares to retire Canton High School's "Chief" mascot and arrowhead logo.

The board of education was meeting at 7 p.m. to vote on a measure that would allow the student body to choose a new mascot. The Wayne County district formed a committee that considered two student proposals to change the mascot and logo, and surveyed the school community and the community at large about their preferences.

Two groups of students submitted proposals to the board in 2021 and 2022, asking them to change the mascot of "based on the problematic nature of the term." Students said "chiefs” is an example of cultural appropriation, which is “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society.”

A committee survey with 6,206 responses found just over half opposed the change, but also found there was greater support for removing the Native American imagery including the arrowhead logo than for changing the “Chiefs” name.

The Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Board of Education issued a statement Tuesday in response to questions from The Detroit News about why the changes were being sought.

"We appreciate the work of the Canton High School Mascot Committee and we are grateful for their time and work on this important effort. Their work has been deliberate, thoughtful and transparent," the statement said.

"Our board policy requires the district to change sports mascots if the mascot and name are based on several protected classes, including race, ethnicity and ancestry. Because of that, we are considering retiring the Canton High School Chief mascot and arrowhead logo and allowing for a new mascot to be chosen by the student body."

The district would keep the red and white color scheme under the proposed changes.

The Native American Guardian's Association, a non-profit North Dakota-based organization, opposes the changes.

Eunice Davidson, president of the group, said her organization works with local communities to increase education about Native Americans, especially in public educational institutions, and greater recognition of Native American heritage through the high profile venues of sports and other public platforms.

Davidson, who is Native American, said according to some national polls, 90% of Native Americans do not agree that the names and images in question are derogatory, discriminatory or racists.

"Why do we listen to the 10 % who say they are?" Davidson said.

Her organization has been trying to post information online to educate the Plymouth-Canton school community about such statistics, but Davidson alleges the information keeps getting removed.

"We think these names and images are one of the few things that keeps Native Americans visible," said Tony Henson, a NAGA member and Native American. "Why put away something that has been a force for good? All of a sudden it smacks of a political agenda."

In 2003, the Michigan State Board passed a resolution "strongly" recommending the elimination of American Indian mascots, nicknames, logos and fight songs by all Michigan schools.

Several Michigan school districts underwent changes in their mascots, logos and other imagery in a move away from Native American symbols and culture.

In 2022, the Native American Heritage Fund selected projects in four Michigan communities to support academic programming updates, mascot changeovers and other projects that honor Native American culture and history in the area.

They included:

Chippewa Hills School District — $52,371.20 to replace existing Native American imagery with “Golden Knights” imagery for the “Warriors” mascot

Hartford Public Schools — $132,249.25 to rebrand the mascot from “Indians” to “Huskies” and implement a new curriculum to help build meaningful connections with students

Lansing School District — $87,500 to rebrand the mascot from the “Big Reds” to a new culturally appropriate mascot and logo

Saranac Community Schools – $139,318.90 to rebrand the mascot from the “R-word” to “Red Hawks"

jchambers@detroitnews.com