Debate over two Tulsa high school mascots

3 years ago 355

TULSA, Okla. — Two Tulsa precocious schools could beryllium getting caller mascots.

The Daniel Webster "Warriors" and the Central "Braves" could beryllium changing arsenic mascots astatine the 2 schools. A Tulsa Public School survey is asking the nationalist what they deliberation of the mascots aft immoderate said they're offensive.

If it was up to Central alum Kirby Counce and Webster alum Donna Savage, the mascots would enactment the same. “It’s portion of our practice astatine Webster," Savage said. "We’re precise arrogant of being Warriors. It’s not considered a mascot. It’s conscionable who we are implicit there.”

Counce said synonyms for the words amusement the names don’t person a antagonistic meaning down them. "It's multiple. Courageous, plucky, fearless, valiant, valorous, intrepid, heroic, lionhearted, bold, daring, adventurous," helium said.

However, others accidental they're violative to Native Americans.

“It’s not who we privation to beryllium portrayed as," said Corey Bunch, enforcement manager for Cherokee Nation Education Services.

Bunch is besides a subordinate of the TPS Native American Mascots Review Committee. He said portion the names whitethorn not beryllium offensive, the imagery, chants and slogans that spell on with it tin beryllium harmful.

“It does not correspond Native radical well," Bunch said. "It’s not what we privation to beryllium associated with oregon represented by. We privation to beryllium known for our arrogant and agelong histories, for our culture, for our traditions, for our language.”

Bunch said the misconception brought connected by these mascots tin beryllium damaging to young Native students.

“They tin really effect successful a kid having debased self-esteem and being ashamed of who they are," Bunch said. "And that’s surely not what we privation to hap successful our nationalist schoolhouse systems. We privation our Native children to beryllium arrogant of who they are.”

The survey was sent retired successful September; however, Savage said it’s biased, peculiarly successful the conception erstwhile asked to springiness 3 reasons wherefore you privation to support oregon bash distant with the mascot.

“But they’re not giving you 3 affirmative reasons to choose," Savage said. "And the lone affirmative crushed equates retired to beryllium sentimental oregon emotional. And that’s not, determination are much reasons than that to support the mascot.”

It could beryllium a portion earlier a determination is made, but Counce, who is besides a subordinate of the mascots reappraisal committee, said helium would enactment changing the imagery if it meant staying the Braves.

“I would afloat backmost thing that would let america to wage respect to our Native, Indigenous, First Nations people, wage respect to them and let america to support our name," Counce said.

You tin instrumentality the survey here.

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