The Danville School Indians may soon be no more — as townspeople come around to the idea that the school mascot’s time is past.
Debates about the mascot have gone on for decades, but in the most recent reckoning with the culturally offensive name, there’s a nearly unanimous call to retire the symbol.
Students, teachers, staff and alumni urged the school board during a meeting Wednesday night to do away with the mascot, and none of the dozens of people attending the virtual meeting opposed the move.
And almost all of the 64 letters about the issue posted to the board’s website as of Thursday supported a change. No letter writers outright opposed the idea.
The call to change the mascot — which was adopted in the 20th century — is one of several that emerged statewide in the last year as communities question whether their school symbols promote harmful ideas. Rutland High School board members in September voted to retire the school’s team name, the Raiders, along with its arrowhead imagery.
Autumn Larocque, a Danville senior who has spearheaded the most recent effort, told board members Wednesday that Danville School is now one of only two schools in the state that uses a Native American–related mascot.
The other, she said, is Green Mountain Union High School in Chester — where residents are asking the same questions.
“Being exposed to inaccurate symbols and images and names teaches students that it’s acceptable to culturally abuse and perpetuate misleading stereotypes about Native Americans,” Larocque said in a prerecorded presentation played during the Zoom meeting Wednesday.
Her presentation described the history of Native Americans, pointed to similar mascot-changing efforts in Vermont, and cited research indicating those school mascots cause psychological harm.
“I know the majority of our school personnel does not intend or want to cause harm to any person,” Larocque said. “However, our current mascot certainly does not reflect that.”
Last year, the Vermont Principals’ Association encouraged schools to replace mascots that do not represent all students.
“They should not perpetuate divisive stereotypes and contribute to the ongoing marginalization, erasure, and harm to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) communities,” the statement reads. “Any mascot, nickname, symbol, or logo that has marginalizing, racist, or exclusionary elements should be replaced to demonstrate what it means to be an inclusive, welcoming, and strong community.”
Larocque’s presentation featured snippets with teachers and staff who supported her request for a new mascot.
Jason Brigham, a teacher and sports coach, said students and athletes have told him the mascot bothers them.
“I know they’ve been harassed because of the name on their uniform or gear when traveling for away games,” he said. “That’s enough for me to know that it’s time to change.”
Abigail Bartell, another educator, called the mascot “inappropriate, hurtful, disrespectful and inexcusable.”
The educators in the presentation weren’t alone.
A staff and faculty committee at Danville collected 31 signatures from colleagues on a letter denouncing the mascot. Every high school teacher, and most middle school teachers, signed the letter, a committee member told the board.
Larocque said she polled students, and the results from 28 respondents showed a large majority thought the name should be changed — either outright, or if local Native Americans believed it should be.
A group of third-graders filmed their own presentation arguing for change.
“We are saying they are the same, but they are not,” one third-grader said of the mascot’s generalization of Indigenous people. “That is like saying all Danville girls wear pigtails and a pink dress.”
Senior David Richardson called the mascot a “stain on what I think is a very welcoming culture.”
Alumni joined the request for a change, including Sela Flores, a 2003 graduate.
“I endured significant distress” because of the mascot, said Flores, who spoke both in Larocque’s presentation and in the live public comment period. Flores, who has Indigenous ancestry, said that distress has persisted for decades.
Parts of the discussion Wednesday centered on the mascot’s apparent eponym, “Indian Joe,” a Native American who fought in the Revolutionary War and spent time in the Danville area with his wife, Molly. Joe’s Pond in town is named after him.
Past proponents of the mascot have defended it as a remembrance of the historical figure, speakers said that night. But attendees said that was a poor way to honor someone.
“Build a statue to Joe and Molly if it’s that important,” teacher Dave Warren said during Larocque’s presentation. “And take the school out of it.”
Along with changing the mascot, some people called for more education about regional Native American history — to make sure a cultural shift goes beyond only a mascot switch.
Board Chair Bruce Melendy said the board wouldn’t be making a decision that night, but “we’re not trying to kick this down the road much further.”
Board members will resume the discussion March 23 at 6 p.m.
