Kewaunee High School

Delay makes sense

Given the financial challenges most school districts will face under the state budget, it makes sense to give districts some leeway in making state-ordered changes to their team mascots and names. To her credit, state Sen. Mary Lazich has proposed a measure that would give the districts some breathing room.

But there's a major caveat here: Districts should be given the grace period only when the change is costly, and by no means should the delay be used as an excuse to avoid making the changes altogether. Race-based nicknames and mascots are still inappropriate and need to be changed, even if the change takes a little longer.

Lazich introduced the measure at the request of Mukwonago school officials, who face one of those state orders. A student who graduated from Mukwonago High School last year filed a complaint against the district's use of "Indian."

After a hearing, the state Department of Public Instruction ordered the school to give up its Indians name and logo by Oct. 8. The problem is that may not be cheap.

The word "Indians" or an Indian head logo appears on the uniforms of nine Mukwonago High School athletic teams. A large mural in the school gym proclaims, "This is Indian Country," and the word "Indians" is painted on the gym's hardwood floor. The sign in front of the high school also has a large Indian head logo.

School officials estimate the change will cost $50,000. This, at the same time the district is facing a loss of $2 million in state aid. Lazich said her bill is aimed at giving school districts such as Mukwonago another year to comply "without breaking the bank."

Given the financial times, that's reasonable.

But the ultimate goal should be a name change. Race-based names and names that are offensive to certain groups should not be tolerated. Nor does the change have to be traumatic. Kewaunee High School changed its nickname from Indians to Storm, and folks adjusted, said Kewaunee School District Administrator William G. Prijic.

"At the time, there were people who were upset. But now people like the new nickname and the logo of a tornado," he said. "We're right on the lake, and we get nasty weather here."

Suggestions for a change in Mukwonago already include Bears (Mukwonago means "Home of the Bear") or Phantoms (Phantom Lake is nearby). But on the theory that no Wisconsin team should be nicknamed Bears on principle, we'd go with Phantoms.

Kewaunee High School logos unveiled

KEWAUNEE - The committee helping to decide the new mascot for Kewaunee High School has unveiled graphic artist renditions of the six choices.

The Kewaunee PR Committee released the images on its website Friday. The images show designs for the Cougars, River Bandits, Storm, Huskies, Knights, and Hawks.

Kewaunee High School, which currently goes by the nickname Indians, is pursuing the change after a complaint was made under a new state law.

Anyone in the school district was allowed to submit their own idea for the new mascot. The six names were whittled down from 168.

Starting next week ballots will go out to residents and students in the district. Following that vote there will be another by just the students.

As mandated by the school board president and depicted in the artist renditions the school will keep its purple and gold colors.

The final mascot selection will be unveiled at Kewaunee's homecoming pep rally Oct. 8.

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