Thank you School Committee for holding this hearing. Thank you School Committee for holding this hearing. Benefit of a year’s worth of new information, facts, figures, and the referendum vote from March 25 th Benefit of a year’s worth of new information, facts, figures, and the referendum vote from March 25 th Overturn the March 2007 decision to eliminate the Redmen name. Overturn the March 2007 decision to eliminate the Redmen name. Make the right decision for Natick – restore the Redmen name. Make the right decision for Natick – restore the Redmen name. It was Redmen then, it’s Redmen now, and it will be Redmen Forever

Question No. 3 on the March 25 th ballot read as follows: Redmen Should the School Committee reconsider its decision to discontinue the use of the Redmen nickname for the Natick High School sports teams? Yes or No

YES6085

Almost 60 other Massachusetts school systems still using Indian-related mascot names. Tewksbury, Massachusetts – resisted challenge to change Redmen name. Dedham, Massachusetts – School Committee decided to retain the Marauders name. Wilton-Lyndeborough, New Hampshire – voted nearly 100% to keep Warriors name. Onteora, New York – restored Indians name after overturning School Board. Central School, Syracuse, New York – retained the Redmen name due to student/family desire. Marquette, Michigan – restored the Redmen name after one year of debate.

Public school policy and money must be spent in a nondiscriminatory manner. Yes, all students are welcome to be Redmen, regardless of their race, color, creed, religious or sexual persuasion, or gender. A $2.9 million override was just passed by majority vote from Natick residents. The SC should also respect the public’s majority vote to keep the name Redmen. One offended individual should be enough to force a change. By dropping the name Redmen there will be tens of thousands of current and former Natick students who will be offended. Also, current students will feel even more disenfranchised than they do now. Times change, so Natick has to change with it. The name Redmen has served the town with honor and dignity for over half a century. The name was not broken, there was no need to fix it. Not all things must change.

The March 25 th vote was only a non-binding referendum to “reconsider” the name. Yes, but such a mandate must be persuasive. The name Redmen was the only name on the March 25 th ballot – other names such as Hawks or Red & Blue had been floated prior to the vote, but Natick residents clearly indicated that they wanted the name Redmen restored. The name Redmen is offensive, discriminatory, derogatory and racist. The name Redmen has and will always mean respect, pride, honor, strength, tradition and greatness. There is no intent to offend anyone unless they themselves choose to be offended. If the School Committee defines the name Redmen as racist, then thousands of past and current Natick residents who embrace the name Redmen will be in effect labeled as racists, when just the opposite is true. This is a form of reverse discrimination. See Definitions

Racism: a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races. Discrimination: treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit: racial and religious intolerance. Derogatory: tending to derogate, or lessen in value; expressing derogation; detracting; injurious Natick “Redmen” is the antipathy of all these negative terms.

PROCLAMATION restore“Redmen” do hereby define “Redmen” We, the Natick School Committee, after having carefully considered and weighed the concerns and importance of the matter, do hereby proclaim to restore the name “Redmen” to sports teams associated with the Natick school system, and in doing so, do hereby define the word “Redmen” within this context as meaning a respectful reference to the Native American history of Natick and the related attributes we seek to instill in all our student athletes such as pride, honor, dignity, strength, and greatness.

 The Redmen name has remained constant in Natick for half a century.  But the logo has taken many forms.  Current logo may not accurately represent Natick’s founding Native Americans.  A contest to allow students or residents at large to create a more appropriate Native American logo.  It’s time to heal Natick and unite the community once again.