Mason City School Board to consider ending "Mohawks" nickname

MASON CITY — The Mason City School Board tonight will consider whether or not to stop using the “Mohawks” name as the district’s mascot.

The issue of the school’s nickname is tied into logo and branding discussions that have been previously tabled by the board at it’s October regular meeting. The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe has called for the district to end the use of the name and associated imagery.

Superintendent Dave Versteeg in a memo to the board recommends that the board direct the administration to start the transition from the use of the Mohawk name and mascot, including Native American images, symbols and likenesses to a new mascot immediately and for the administration to present at the January 17th school board meeting a timeline to complete the transition from the Mohawk name and a plan to adopt a new mascot as of July 1st of 2022.

Versteeg also recommends that no new use of Mohawk will be used immediately and current uses will be phased out or replaced. The district would immediately stop the use of Mohawks to introduce teams at athletic events with teams being introduced just as Mason City, any new merchandise products developed and designed after today would not carry the name, and that Mohawks would be removed from electronic communications such as the district’s website and other editable documents and replaced with just Mason City until a new mascot is approved.

The Mason City School Board meets tonight at 5:30 at the district’s administration building.

Versteeg’s full recommendation from the school board agenda:

Recommendation

I move to direct the administration:

to begin the transition from the use of the Mohawk name as the School District mascot including Native American images, symbols and likenesses to a new mascot effective November 16, 2021;
to present at the January 17, 2022 school board meeting a timeline to complete the transition from the Mohawk name and a plan to adopt a new mascot as of July 1, 2022.

Details

Part A of the motion includes: No new use of Mohawk will be used after November 15 and current uses will be phased out and or replaced as we are able too.

Stop the use of “Mohawks” to introduce teams at athletic events. Teams will be introduced as “Mason City.”
Any new merchandise products developed and designed after November 15 (i.e. state tournament t-shirts, promotional, team shirts, spirit shirts, etc.). Current inventories are fine.
“Mohawks” will be removed from electronic communications such as the district website and other editable documents and replaced with “Mason City” until a new mascot is approved.

Part B of the motion means: Identify all the places/locations and uses of the Mohawk name throughout the district and indicate a date for when the item will be removed, eliminated or replaced and an estimated cost of doing so.