SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Monday, Bountiful High School announced it will change its Braves mascot after using it for nearly 70 years.
The Davis County-based school will start the process of selecting a “culturally sensitive mascot that will unite all stakeholders,” Principal Aaron Hogge announced. He did not provide a timeline or what replacement names are being considered but said the class of 2021 will graduate as Braves.
“At times, depictions of Native Americans has crossed a line of cultural respect,” Hogge said. “Attempts have been made over the years to become more culturally sensitive. I believe leaders and students in the past have had the best of intentions to create unity, respect, honor, courage and bravery when they used the Braves mascot.”
An informal mascot — a student dressed up in feathers — is no longer allowed at school events but calls for Bountiful to change the Braves name mounted this summer during a nationwide push for racial justice following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the NFL team in Washington dropping the Redskins name.
Bountiful’s logo also was changed in recent years from a Native American man to the letter “B” with a feather or arrow on it, Davis County School District spokesman Chris Williams said.
Administrators began reviewing the mascot in early August and created a committee to identify and discuss concerns by those wishing to remove it. They sought input from representatives of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation, students, faculty and staff, as well as community members.
It’s not clear how many high schools have built their sports team imagery around Native Americans, but advocates have said it’s in the hundreds — down significantly from decades ago.
