Milan community struggles to get behind new school mascot and logo
Finding a mascot and a logo the community as a whole can embrace is proving to be difficult for Milan Area Schools, according to a report in the Milan News-Leader.
A simple black and red "Big Reds" flag flew over the football field at Milan High School during a football game Oct. 12. The district is redesigning its logo and mascot, which previously was a Native American chief.
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com file photo
A logo that consists of a block "M" with hawk eyes and a beak was drawn by a local artist and selected from a pool of 116 possible logo submissions, the News-Leader reported.
Superintendent Bryan Girbach said in the newspaper, some people were confused by the hawk "M" drawing and may have had a traditional image of a hawk in mind.
The News-Leader reported the district will extend its deadline for developing a new mascot and logo and will allow the committee heading up the rebranding to reconvene and brainstorm more hawk images.
Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
Brad PTA
Thu, May 9, 2013 : 6:02 p.m.
Why the change? Were there complaints from American/Native Americans? There was no notation in the original article. With the uproar over the change and that stupid block M with a face it seems like it would be better to leave well enough alone as long as there aren't any complaints. Sounds like someone on the board is being overly PC for no reason.
Fat Bill
Wed, May 8, 2013 : 3:54 a.m.
For an amazing mascot, look no further than the Richland(WA) Bombers, whose mascot is a mushroom cloud. Google if...
UpperDecker
Wed, May 8, 2013 : 3:09 p.m.
if you dare...
dading dont delete me bro
Wed, May 8, 2013 : 1:10 p.m.
if what...?
dading dont delete me bro
Wed, May 8, 2013 : 2:26 a.m.
that M was a hawk?!? go milan flying M's!
Tag
Wed, May 8, 2013 : 1:17 a.m.
How about a good picture of this block M with hawk eyes. It would really help the story.
Silly Sally
Tue, May 7, 2013 : 8:47 p.m.
Here is some very funny information. 51% of American Indians actually prefer to be called "American Indian" as opposed to the pc "Native American" ("First Nations" in Canada). This is per Wikipedia, which is very pc. Only about 35% of American Indians prefer the term "Native American" even though the thought police such as the Milan School Board or the Eastern Michigan Univ. Regents have tried to protect them.
jns131
Wed, May 8, 2013 : 6:01 p.m.
I would not trust wipedia as far as I can throw them. I heard Native American and I am sticking with it until a true Native comes forward to claim otherwise.
sellers
Wed, May 8, 2013 : 12:12 a.m.
Interesting observation. Regardless of the moniker used, poor treatment of their culture has occurred for centuries all in the name of euro centric progress.
a2citizen
Tue, May 7, 2013 : 8:19 p.m.
Blandness is pretty hard to embrace.
Usual Suspect
Tue, May 7, 2013 : 7:47 p.m.
Big Reds could still work - red-tailed hawk. Or red could represent those who partake of the cult of politically correctness.
EyeHeartA2
Tue, May 7, 2013 : 7:37 p.m.
Big Reds = Large Communists?
Engineer
Wed, May 8, 2013 : 1:51 a.m.
Actually Honda makes a "Big Red". It is a side by side UTV. Guess that could be their mascot.
sellers
Wed, May 8, 2013 : 12:10 a.m.
Proof that anything taken out of context can be put in a bad light.