Cultural sensitivity cited after school logo removed

For decades, a large wooden logo depicting an Aboriginal man with a feather headdress hung on the wall in the gym of the building which once housed Copper Cliff High School, and now houses Copper Cliff Public School.

In mid-December, however, the logo was removed from the gym, causing an uproar amongst some in the Copper Cliff community.

The logo was originally used by the old Copper Cliff High School, which closed roughly 30 years ago. The school’s teams were known as the “Braves.”

After the high school closed in 1981, the community’s elementary school moved into the old high school building, but the logo was never removed from the gym.

As far as Copper Cliff Public School parent council chair Mimi Wiseman knows, the Braves logo was never really attached to Copper Cliff Public School.

“I don’t know that they actually even use it,” she said. “The Braves was always just the high school.”

Sharon Speir, superintendent of schools with the Rainbow District School Board, said the decision to remove the symbol from the gym wall was made by the school’s principal, Chris Bourré, in consultation with staff and the parent council.

“It started with a conversation about new school jerseys, and what image we want for our school,” Speir said.

There was also some thought about whether having the Braves logo on the wall is as “culturally appropriate or relevant” as it was in the past, Speir said.

“The province of Ontario has a First Nations, Metis and Inuit policy document,” she said.
“One of the goals (of that document) is to really develop appreciation and sensitivity for the diversity of First Nations culture. That’s a lens that staff and principals are coming to these kinds of considerations with.”

Speir said the wooden logo was given to the organizers of an upcoming Copper Cliff community reunion. She said the school plans to consult with students and parents to come up with a new logo and team name.

One parent of three children at Copper Cliff Public School, who did not want to be named, said he thinks it’s “completely ridiculous” that the logo was removed.

“They should definitely put it back the way it was,” he said, speaking to Northern Life as he picked his kids up from school Dec. 21. “It’s been that way forever, and that’s the way it should stay.”

Another parent, who also did not want to be named, said because the school doesn’t really have its own logo and team name right now, perhaps asking the students to pick their own is a good idea.

“Have the kids vote on something new and exciting,” she said.

Copper Cliff residents Vivian Anzil spoke to Northern Life about the issue outside of the community’s post office.

Starting in late 1940s, Vivian attended both the elementary school and high school in Copper Cliff, and all three of her children attended the elementary school.

She said it’s a “shame” the logo has been removed from the gym.

In terms of the cultural sensitivities attached to the logo, Vivian said she thinks of a “Brave” as being “strong and independent and honest.”

Maurice Switzer, director of communications with the Union of Ontario Indians, said logos and team names featuring aboriginal people are a throwback to a different time.

“The fact is, you don’t see symbols like that of people of colour, in gyms on hockey sweaters, of black people or yellow people,” Switzer, whose organization represents 39 First Nations in the province, including Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, located in the Walden area, said.

He said he’s glad the school board has removed the logo from the gym’s wall.

Switzer also pointed out that the Copper Cliff Minor Hockey Association’s teams are known as the “Redmen,” and have a similar logo to the one just removed from the Copper Cliff Public School gym.

Ken Creasey, president of the Copper Cliff Minor Hockey Association, said he won’t change his teams’ logo or names. He said the rest of the association’s executive also feels the same way — unless forced to change it, the logo stays, he said.

Posted by Arron Pickard