PAW PAW, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Leaders at Paw Paw Public Schools say that they have narrowed the search for a new mascot to three suggestions after they voted to retire their controversial Redskins mascot earlier this year.
Three finalists in the running to represent the school include the Lions, the Wolves, and the Phoenix, partially chosen with input from a student nickname taskforce set up to help find a new mascot.
On March 11 the Paw Paw Public Schools Board of Education voted to retire its longtime Redskins mascot after years of controversy over its depiction of Native Americans. The image proved to be a distraction for students, staff, and the local community as some saw it as a symbol of pride and reverential depiction while others saw it as outdated and offensive.
The school district was also subject to an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education launched in December 2019, as a response to what the American Civil Liberties Union alleged was a “racially hostile environment.”
The district ultimately voted to phase out the Redskins logo at the end of the current school year on the recommendations of Superintendent Rick Reo.
Reo acknowledged at the time that while the fate of the mascot had division, he hoped the community could come together in the search for a new one.
During the meeting, the school board voted to create the student nickname task force which would field and narrow down the most popular selections. Made up of 27 students from grades 5-12, the group offered a student perspective on which mascot would become a good fit.
An online vote with participation from students, staff, community members, and alumni helped put together the top 10 candidates, with the task force narrowing the selections down to the final three by May 21st.
School officials say that some suggestions were not chosen either because they were also controversial or were already taken by nearby schools.
The student task force narrowed the publicly voted suggestion based on five characteristics like inclusiveness, pride, showcases school spirit, non-controversial, and unique to the Paw Paw community.
MLive reports that potential logos for each of the finalists will be shared on the school district’s mascot Facebook page, with image recommendations finalized in July.
