Bellefonte back to ‘Red Raiders’ after months of debate over name, Native American imagery

About nine months after making a major change, Bellefonte Area School District will return to being the “Red Raiders.”

The Bellefonte Area School District school board voted late Tuesday night to rescind two motions approved in April 2021 related to the district’s controversial nickname and use of Native American imagery.

The decision came after a nearly four-hour board meeting, following a spirited public debate.

The separate resolutions — one to rescind the removal of Native American imagery and one to rescind the motion to remove “red” from the district’s nickname — passed 6-2.

Board members Julie Fitzgerald and Donna Smith voted not to reinstate the Native American imagery. Fitzgerald and Marie Perini voted no on the motion to bring back the word “red” in the district’s moniker.

The district’s primary logo will still be the block “B” and the Native American head will be an inactive logo, board president Jeff Steiner said on Wednesday. He said the board aims to “memorialize, not eradicate” the original logo.

“I just would hope that everyone is able to find grace in their hearts,” Steiner said. “That those who don’t agree with what we did try to be open to the possibility that it might not be what they think, and that those who are happy with what we did last night, show them and everyone else what it means to be a Bellefonte great Red Raider.”

In April, the board voted 8-1 to remove Native American imagery throughout the district and 6-3 to remove the word “red” from the district moniker. A new board is now in place, after candidates who were vocal about the Red Raiders — Andrea Royer, Jeff Steiner, Jack Bechdel II and Jon Guizar — swept the school board election in November.

Board member Donna Smith, who voted not to rescind the removal of Native American imagery, spoke during Tuesday’s meeting about the various organizations that advise against its use.

“I wanted to base my decision on facts,” Smith said. “And the facts were presented to me were that the National Education Association, and we are a public school, recommended to not use the Native American mascot, social science and science organizations all said do not use a Native American mascot. ... Church organizations, civic organizations, the ACLU, nearly every single athletic organization. There are no colleges in Pennsylvania that use Native American imagery and nearly every single native organization, even the group we specifically listened to, said you can’t.”

Changes through the years

The district’s mascot has gone through several changes over the years. In 2015 the district made the original mascot, a Native American in a tribal headdress, its secondary mascot, making a red block “B” its primary logo.

The district does not have a personified mascot and has no plans to bring back the “Red Raider” mascot, Steiner said Wednesday.

A branding committee will be formed to think through future use of Native American imagery and other logo matters. The committee will be formed at or before the Feb. 8 board meeting, Steiner said.

On Tuesday, people spoke up during public comment to voice concerns, as they have since a petition to replace the “harmful” name and imagery reignited the longtime debate in June 2020. But several voiced their disapproval of the ongoing debate and urged the board to focus on COVID-19 and updates to the health and safety plan, which the board approved unanimously.

About 10 people spoke out against the decision to rescind the changes made last year.

“For the last few years you have been presented with overwhelming and factual research on this injustice and inequity,” said Kathy Fletcher of Walker Township, speaking to the board via Zoom. “White culture must stop using Native American or indigenous symbolism in irresponsible and ignorant ways. Your students don’t even know what tribes or nations these people claim they’re trying to honor. This is regionally incorrect and very offensive.”

Those who supported the decision — about five spoke during public comment — argued that Bellefonte has been the “Red Raiders” for nearly 80 years prior to the removal in April and is part of the community’s history.

“The funding needed to revamp our buildings far outweighs our need to take away our culture and our history,” Don Grove of Spring Township said.

Rebranding efforts in the high school gym alone were expected to cost nearly $100,000, the district’s director of fiscal affairs said this fall.

The board is next scheduled to meet Jan 25.

This story was originally published January 12, 2022 at 12:03 AM.