Bellefonte moves to retire ‘red’ from district name, establish rebranding committee
After representing the Bellefonte Area School District for more than 80 years, the “Red Raider” will retire — but only partially.
In a 6-3 vote Wednesday — and after hearing hours of public comment — the board of directors voted to remove the word “red” from the district moniker but retain “raider,” beginning with the 2021-22 school year. To move toward a name and logo that does not misrepresent or stereotype indigenous people, the board also motioned to establish a committee that will assist with a rebrand.
The committee will consist of student representatives, community members, teachers and administration drawn from the district. After gauging community input, the committee will submit its top three recommendations for a new logo — one that does not depict any race or ethnicity — by the November board meeting.
The decision follows a recent board decision to retire Native American imagery used throughout district buildings and facilities after a group of BASD alumni organized a petition that called for change to the “Red Raider” last summer. Since June, board members have heard input from hundreds of people — alumni, district parents, students and community members — on both sides of the issue.
Over the past year, board members said they felt pressure to make a decision, and they were divided among themselves. While they recognized that no decision would please everyone, retiring the word “red” is a compromise that presents the district with an opportunity to redefine what a “raider” is.
“I think that ‘red’ in there allows it to be appropriated as a racial term,” board member Max Kroell said. “I think we just need to eliminate any possibility that it could be tied to any racial minorities, any form of race. A raider can be anything, but once we have that ‘red’ in front of us, I think that presents an issue.”
He added: “Most of the time, people just use ‘raiders’ anyway.”
Board president Jon Guizar, who was joined by members Jeff Steiner and Kimberley Weaver in voting in opposition to the change, said he did not see a problem with keeping the “Red Raider” name. The three said they see red as only a color. Steiner also listed a series of district programs that use the word “raider” and promote positive behavior among the student body.
More than 100 district residents spoke at a virtual meeting Tuesday ahead of the vote on the “Red Raider” name. More than 70 voiced opposition to change, arguing that the “Red Raider” honors Native Americans and represents memories from their alma mater. At least 35 attendees said the name is offensive, promotes a racist depiction of Native Americans and does not represent the predominantly white school district.
And some told the board change would help create a welcoming environment and pave a better path toward inclusivity.
“You cannot erase the past with this change, but you can create a better future,” Yana Boyd told the board Tuesday.
Last fall, the board of directors heard presentations on the history of the “Red Raider” and moved to evaluate diversity, inclusion and equity in the district through committee work. Since then, the district has scheduled an audit to examine equity in its curriculum, drafted a mandatory course on local history and eliminated native music that was played each morning. In a February work session, Superintendent Tammie Burnaford said there has been an ongoing “conscientious effort” to be educational and inclusive.
“I think that understanding that there are different lived experiences than our own lived experiences is a big step,” board member Julie Fitzgerald said. “I’ll be honest with you, I’ve been at sporting events, cheering my children on with ‘Red Raider’ gear and garb. I mean, I have pictures of my children from preschool at the rock outside of the high school, and I cherish those. I didn’t think about it from a different perspective before. It didn’t cross my mind because my experience was mine.”
Fitzgerald added that this issue has been ongoing in the district for decades. Board member Donna Smith said it would most likely come up again if the board didn’t take action. Smith also recited a list of a dozen organizations that have policies against using Native Americans as mascots, logos and names.
“As a school district, I don’t feel that we can say, ‘well, we’re allowed’ or ‘nah,’” Smith said. “I just don’t feel like we have a leg to stand on with that, and that’s where I landed and why. I just had to go to the research because I certainly wasn’t relying on me and my own personal opinions. I had to look to the authorities.”
