ACS students may want to change mascot

Students at Alton Central School (ACS) have approached Principal Bonnie Jean Kuras about changing the school’s mascot to something other than an Apache Indian.

Kuras raised the issue to the School Board at its meeting in the ACS middle school media center last night. Kuras said youngsters at the K-8 school approached her about talking with the board about perhaps choosing a different mascot.

“I think they understand that people are closely tied to the Apache, some members of the community,” the principal told the five-member board. “However this is something they have really focused on. And I think they’d want to consider a new mascot as we’re growing into our new identify (since high school students left ACS for Prospect Mountain High School several years ago).

“I think they’d like to talk to the board and see what your thoughts are,” Kuras said.

The board agreed to put the issue on the agenda for its next meeting in early December.

The issue of using American Indians as mascots have come up at several schools around the country in recent years. Some people say the images are racially offensive but other claim they are honoring to American natives.

Eight years ago, Laconia High School debated whether to change its Sachem mascot but many resident said the identification with the Indian was not only historic but was meant as a sign of respect and admiration. The school did, however, end the practice of having people dress up in costume and whoop and holler at athletic events. Cartoon-like images of Indians were also declared to be taboo.