ELMA, N.Y. — Iroquois CSD unveiled the new ‘Red Hawks’ logo for the school district. Next school year, the 'Chiefs' mascot will be retired, and this logo and mascot will take its place across the district.
Beginning in the Fall, the Iroquois mascot will be the Red Hawks, replacing the more than 65-year history of being named the Chiefs.
“I really think this was a great pick,” Superintendent of Iroquois Central School District Douglas Scofield said. “It is a symbol of grace and strength, and I think that’s a great way to look at it.”
Iroquois is not the first school in our area to change mascots:
- The Cheektowaga Central School District, previously known as the Warriors, will now be known as the Chargers.
- The Tonawanda City School District, previously known as the Warriors, will now be known as the Timberwolves.
- The Jamestown Public Schools, previously known as the Red Raiders, will now be known as the Red & Green.
- The Chautauqua Lake Central School, previously known as the Thunderbird, will now be known as the Eagles.
WATCH RELATED: Local school districts make changes after Board of Regents approved ban on Native American logos, mascots
However, one retired Buffalo Public Schools principal, Naomi Cerre, doesn’t think this change went far enough.
“I was outraged when I saw it on the news, it made me feel as if there was no consideration at all,” Cerre said.
Naomi Cerre worked with Buffalo Public Schools for 32 years, and as a retired school administrator, she was stunned to see Red Hawks on the consideration list.
The New York State Education Department planned to eliminate names, mascots, and logos that could be deemed offensive to Native Americans.
“I couldn’t even imagine that it would be even something to consider,” Cerre said.
She worries this new mascot could still be a reminder of ‘past trauma’ for Native Americans.
Through her research, she found that the Red-Tailed Hawk is a symbol of the Cherokee Nation.
The nation’s website says that “it is said to be a protector spirit of the Cherokees and is therefore considered sacred,” although never killed, “their feathers were and still are use ceremonially.”
“If you want to be sensitive, wouldn’t you just stay away from that?” Cerre said. “Wouldn’t you just stay away from being under the umbrella of anything that would have any kind of connection?”
“By picking the Red Hawks, the people who sent in the submissions were doing it for a symbol of intelligence and perseverance,” Scofield said. “Therefore, it had nothing to do with the Native Americans, it had to do with promoting self-worth.”
She voiced her opinion to the district, but the mascot change was made official.
It will make its debut with all the athletics teams and around the building when school reopens from summer break in September.
