Rochester Woman Thinks Spaulding Should Change Mascot

Renee Napolitano feels the mascot is an offensive portrayal of American Indians.

Renee sent her suggestion in a letter to Rochester Superintendent Michael Hopkins. She has been a Rochester resident since 1991.

In an article at Fosters.com, Mrs. Napolitano expressed her position.

“I can’t speak for them since I’ll never know what it’s like to be Native American, but to me it depicts them as frozen in time. It portrays them as being violent and aggressive warriors, and while I can see why they would want that image as a sport’s mascot, it homogenizes this group that is very diverse.”

Renee Napolitano spent much of her youth in Old Town, Maine which is home to the Penobscot Indian Nation. It was recently while Renee was re-connecting with old classmates, some of whom belong to the Nation, that she began to think about the mascot.

For their part, The New Hampshire State Board of Education in 2002 made a proclamation stating that using American Indian depictions was offensive. However the Board cannot force any district to change their mascot.

I'll be a fence sitter on this as I can see both sides of the issue. I'd certainly be satisfied in letting the community decide.