News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Putnam County School Board voted unanimously Thursday night to keep the Algood Middle School Redskins logo and mascot.
The school board had been expected to form a committee at the meeting to study the issue. But School Board Member Kim Cravens, who represents Algood, said she did not believe a committee would be able to find consensus.
“The Algood community has spoken loud and clear to me and I cannot support a name to the change Redskins,” Cravens said. “Most calls or email I have received are in favor of keeping the name almost by a margin of two to one.”
School Board Member Jerry Maynard said his responses ran 50 to 75 percent in favor of no change.
Cravens added she also could not support using taxpayer money to make the change. At a weekend board work session, estimates showed a change in name and logo could top $70,000.
School Board Member Celeste Gammon said she still wanted to see a committee formed to give the community a voice.
“I don’t know that they would come to a consensus,” Gammon said. “I think a committee would be good to get together and at least have a point of communication.”
Gammons’ motion to form a committee failed to receive a second. School Board Member David McCormick said he appreciated the community’s input but said the school board needed the make this decision.
“I feel like a committee’s a good thing in most cases but at this time I feel it’s something that somebody else will take the blame for that we need to make the decision on ourselves,” McCormick said.
School Board Chair Lynn McHenry said the issue has given the community a chance to learn and share dialogue on Native American history.
“I know that as a board, we have gained a great deal of respect for them because of these recent events,” McHenry said. “That being said, the Putnam County School System cannot allow its accomplishments and its goals for the future to be overshadowed by any issue that divides or is used to sell newspapers.”
After the meeting, several advocates of the name change spoke with school board members outside the board chambers. They said school board members had bowed to racist values in the community.
“This has been a difficult issue to say the least and I pray that this issue does not continue to divide our community,” Cravens said. “Instead, I hope our emphasis can be placed on providing a quality education for all of our students.”
