Done Deal
Allow me to be the one to break the sad news.
The Wakefield Warrior logo is history.
Oh sure, the School Committee paid lip service Tuesday night to the lofty notion of having a “community-wide discussion.” But you didn’t need a degree in “English Language Arts” to read between the lines. There would be no need to go through a “process” if the intention was to keep the logo.
No. The Warrior is a goner. Sorry there isn’t better news, but there isn’t.
I base this conclusion not just on what was said at Tuesday’s School Committee meeting, where they couldn’t heap enough praise on the Youth Council, which is pushing hard for the elimination of the logo. The fact that they felt the need to apologize to the Youth Council for the delay in acting on the logo speaks volumes. Sorry kids, we’ve been busy dealing with a little thing called COVID.
School officials announced confidently, however, that by late March they will finally have time to deal with the one truly important issue – the Warrior logo.
In the meantime, the School Committee said all the right things about wanting to hear from “the whole community.” And by that they mean the activist community.
Trust me, there will be an orchestrated, coordinated campaign of emails, letters, texts and phone calls designed to give the impression of an avalanche of support for eliminating the Warrior logo.
Meanwhile, those who like tradition and history tend to be less apt to get in your face and make demands, and are less inclined to badger public officials with emails and phone calls. I would submit that those who want to keep the logo are greater in number. But those who want to get rid of it are louder in volume. And those are the voices that the School Committee will choose to hear.
Not that their minds aren’t already made up. They are. But they’re going to need cover for what they know will be an unpopular decision. They’ll want to be able to point to a “groundswell” of public opinion in favor of eliminating the Warrior.
That’s also where the Youth Council comes in handy. The School Committee and administration can point to the Youth Council, throw up their hands and say, “What could we do? It’s what our students want.”
Except it isn’t what the students want.
The Youth Council’s own survey of the Wakefield High School student population showed a 50-50 split in opinion regarding the logo. Considering that the more political, activist-minded students are more likely to take the time to fill out and return such a survey, I’d wager that the true student majority is probably tilted more toward keeping the Warrior logo or not caring either way.
But none of that will matter. Facts won’t matter. Truth won’t matter. The unique historical origins of Wakefield’s Warrior logo won’t matter.
All that matters is ideology and the self-satisfaction that comes with the belief that you’re part of the in-group and that together you’re on the “right side of history.”
It must be a comfortable conformity.
—
[This column originally appeared in the January 28, 2021 Wakefield Daily Item.]
Filed under: Columns & Essays, History, Humor, News, Opinion, Politics, Wakefield | 14 Comments
Tags: Community, conformity, COVID, cultural appropriation, History, Indian, logo, Mark Sardella, Native Amreican, Opinion, Politics, public opinion, racism, sports, survey, truth, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield High School, Wakefield MA, Wakefield School Committee, Wakefield Warriors, Warrior logo, Youth Council
Flickr Photos
Sad diagrace, who made this decision? Did any people from Wakefield get a say?
So very sad !
I usually wouldn’t comment , but I have been curious about how it would be resolved. I am curious about what the youth of today think about these issues, about icons and meaning and , seems they are split on things too …
The woke generation has spoken! A sad day for Wakefield.
Such insanity!! Is this “WOKE” JOKE?
Is Richard Bayrd still alive? Why wasn’t he asked to talk to the student council? Or at least show them his documentary! This makes me so angry. So disrespectful to him and his family.
He’s still alive and well. None of the people who want to eliminate the logo care what he thinks, least of all the Youth Council.
My late wife, Leah (Gammons) Mitchell, was the head majorette for the Wakefield Memorial High School in the mid seventies and had several of her girlfriends on the squad.
Her father, Calvun (Bud) Gammons, made the batons made and Mr. Baird made the headdresses with feathers for all the girls.
They all performed happily as warriors for the. school, games and parades.
Leah would be turning in her grave if she heard the sad news about the Warrior logo becoming a thing of the past.
Leah wore her headdress proudly and she donated her headdress to the high school to put it on display.
Hopefully, it’s still there as a reminder of those warriors…past and present.
I’m interested to learn where there’s a survey showing that more people are in favor of keeping the logo than not. I missed it somehow. I’m going to educate myself about the unique history of the logo. Although I assume most logos have a unique history, the history of the Wakefield logo must be a little more unique than others.
a logo of a proud Indian nation- respected, celebrated-a shame to disrespect the heritage
That was part of Wakefield High School
But I still have my class ring with the warrior on it
Sad news😢
I came to this discussion late. From what I can gather a group of 13 to 18 year old children with no world experience have decided that they have to speak for the American Indian. The only Indians involved are the Baird family and they were not asked their stand on the matter. Mr. Baird as I recall, felt honored by the Indian involvement and his part in the uniforms.
If this is to pass, who will pay for the rebranding, the change in uniforms etc, the cost could be quite high. The matter should be voted on at a town meeting by the people who will suffer the costs.
Just my thoughts.
It is so sad Rick! Thank God she will remain part of the Warrior history! Not only was she a kind and wonderful person; she was a talented and wonderful Majorette! I am sure she would be so sad 😞