Freshmen will graduate as Redskins

Colusa High School's venerable Redskins mascot has won a reprieve — but only for one year.

Facing about two dozen mostly freshman students in the gymnasium lobby, the Colusa Unified School District board voted 3-2 Wednesday to delay introducing the school's new sports symbol by a year, from 2010 to August 2011.

The move ensures that all current Colusa High students, including freshmen, will graduate under the Redskins mascot symbol board members voted to remove last month.

Dissenting were Cindy Steidlmayer and Donna Krause, who had voted in April in favor of changing the school symbol. Even a supporter of the delay cautioned students to consider that people in other towns could attack Colusa students for their tribal mascot as long as it remains in use.

"Have you said anything beyond 'We don't want change?'" asked board member Don Bransford, who also voted to remove the Redskins name from the school. "This is about more than change; it's also about respect for other people."

The hour-long debate between Class of 2011 members and the board prolonged the agonizing over replacing the Redskins name, which officials said would stir controversy no matter when it becomes final.

"There's no way we can solve this without some awkwardness," conceded Larry Yeghoian, the district superintendent.

Enthusiasm for the soon-to-be-retired school symbol was evident at the meeting, where underclassmen sported red and black shirts with Colusa High's arrow-in-a-C logo, and a handful of girls daubed black war paint-like marks under their eyes.

"This is our name," proclaimed freshman Ciera Green. "We want to keep it, and we want to be Redskins until we graduate."

"We want to finish what we started," said Katelyn Mena, another freshman. "It's hard to come into the high school (and then) learn you're getting a new name in your last year of school."

A divided board voted on April 8 to drop the Redskins nickname after more than 80 years of use. Despite numerous calls from students and parents to preserve the mascot as a symbol of strength and valor, three of the five board members heeded local tribe members who attacked the name as racist and glorifying the past persecution of native tribes.

Despite earlier opposing a new symbol for Colusa High, board member Charles Yerxa urged the freshman class to let go of the debate and instead provide ideas toward the school's next mascot.

"The name's image has changed to where it's derogatory to a lot of people," he said. "Now that the decision's been made, it's a time when you can step into a leadership role."

Starting in September, Colusa students in grades 7-12, district staff and residents will be able to help nominate potential school mascots, Yeghoian said Tuesday. After the board chooses three finalists, voters would choose Colusa High's new symbol.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Howard Yune at 458-2121, 749-4708 or hyune@appeal-democrat.com