Vote on Redmen name now set for March 5
NATICK BULLETIN & TAB
By Kathy Uek
Thursday, February 1, 2007
In order to have full participation of the board, the School Committee Monday evening changed the date to discuss and vote on the Redmen nickname of high school sports teams, as well as the public hearing on its budget.
The date has been changed from Monday, Feb. 26, to Monday, March 5. The meeting will be held at Wilson Middle School on Rutledge Road at 7:30 p.m.
On the issue of the Redmen, three individuals spoke in support of keeping the current nickname while two said it should be changed.
To change the Redmen name would be a mistake, said Rebekka Farquharson, a sophomore at Natick High School. "It would be a great loss," she said. "That's who we are. It's our identity."
When referring to the name Red Hawk Men, which was proposed by Chief Caring Hands at an earlier meeting, Farquharson said the word Hawk could be considered controversial because of its military connotation. She also thought the $6,000 expected cost to change the name could be better used for students, scholarships and resources.
Pete Sanfacon, who has been studying Native American culture and history for 17 years, said the name should be changed. He also said the town should offer at least one course in Native American history in every school.
Rebekka's mother, Nanci Farquharson, a Natick Town Meeting member, said, "Redmen was never a racial slur. It's something to be proud of."
As a social studies teacher in Ashland, Farquharson noted Natick and Ashland do teach about the Praying Indians.
What bothered some who voiced their opinions in the public speak portion of the meeting was the Redmen issue was brought before the School Committee.
"They should be concerned with education, not the mascot," said Nanci Farquharson. "It's a town decision, not for seven members of the School Committee to decide."