One year after Union Public Schools dropped its mascot of more than 75 years, the district announced it has chosen a new one.
The Union school board officially adopted “Redhawks” Monday night after a vote of fourth through 12th graders between it and bison. Redhawks got almost 73% of the overall votes and 81% from sixth grade and up.
"The kids have really been very receptive to this. You know, they felt for a number of years that they've had a mascot that really had become, frankly, unusable, and there were many people that felt like Native Americans — and that a people — should not be a mascot," said Union spokesman Chris Payne.
More than 300 people suggested new mascots for the district, but the vote came down to the two that emerged as frontrunners.
"It was interesting, there were a number of people that had put forth the redhawks suggestion, and the other one that was really popular was the bison," Payne said.
Hundreds of alumni and other community members organized last year and petitioned the district to change its mascot, which was a racial slur for Native Americans. Shagah Zakerion with Union United for Change said they approve of “redhawks.”
"To get to this point feels like a victory. I think they could have picked any mascot and we would have been thrilled because at the end of the day, it really wasn't about what the new mascot would be. It's about really starting a new chapter for the district," Zakerion said.
The district is having a local artist create a few designs for Union’s new mascot, which students will also vote on. Payne said the plan is to keep the current red, black and white color scheme.
