Dueling Online Petitions Battle Over North Haven High School Indian Mascot

Two online petitions are battling over whether or not to change the North Haven High School Indian mascot.

Talia Gallagher organized a petition on change.org to change the school’s team name from the Indians, saying that it is offensive to Native Americans.

Gallagher urged supporters of the movement to sign the petition to “help for the first time formally get the attention of the North Haven Board of Education, allow for some serious discussion on this issue, and hopefully start the process in changing the mascot. Your signature is telling the Board of Education that you do not agree with the Indians as our team name.”

Read the full petition here.

Meanwhile an opposing petition, started by Michael Parisi on change.org, is urging people to sign to keep the Indian mascot.

Parisi’s petition says:

“Keep that Indian Pride! Honor the Indians! There is a group looking to get it changed, so lets show our support!

“Bravery, honor and Courage... that is what the mascot stands for”

The petition to keep the Indian mascot had 1,372 supporters compared to 345 supporters to change the mascot as of 2 p.m. on Thursday. Update, 3:30 p.m., The petition to keep the mascot has 1,407 supporters and the petition to change has 349.

For the readers, should North Haven change the Indian mascot? If you agree with the movement to change the team’s name, do you have any suggestions for a new mascot? Let us know in the comments below (also let us know if you want to keep the Indian mascot):

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