In Gaston County, petitions battle to remove or keep ‘offensive’ high school mascot

Laura Boyce felt uncomfortable as she drove by South Point High School graduation signs in Belmont this spring.

Boyce, a 2003 graduate of South Point who now lives in Philadelphia, was visiting her parents in Belmont when she noticed something didn’t feel right about the Red Raider mascot.

“It struck me in a different way, seeing the bright red Native American face on the signs,” Boyce said. “It really just struck me as something that is unacceptably racist in the year 2020.”

Hoping to take action beyond a rant on Facebook, Boyce started a petition on Change.org to retire South Point’s mascot. In two weeks, the petition has collected 1,500 signatures and made plenty of waves in the Belmont community — including an opposing petition that has reached more than 2,200 signatures.

Boyce didn’t have any issues with the Red Raider mascot as a student in the early 2000s, but she said she’s since come to understand why Native American mascots can be seen as offensive. She said South Point’s mascot was something that had bothered her “for a while,” but her recent trip home sparked her to speak out.

“As we, as a country, are grappling with the continued legacy and effects of racism, (the mascot) just didn’t seem like something that was acceptable for us to be putting out as a symbol that represented our hometown anymore,” Boyce said.

Boyce is working to connect with “Native American leaders” and cited a 2002 resolution by the North Carolina State Advisory Council on Indian Education that supported “eliminating American Indian descriptions naming mascots, logos and sport team nicknames for North Carolina Public Schools.”

The South Point Red Raiders and another Gaston County public school, the East Gaston High Warriors, have been pushed to retire their mascots as recently as 2015, when Native American Shawn Greeson sent a complaint to the Gaston County School Board demanding the names be changed. No change resulted from that complaint.

“We are hopeful that as we continue to share stories and perspectives … that the people of Belmont, who I do believe want to be welcoming (and) want to be inclusive will come to understand that the mascot is in conflict with our values,” Boyce said.

But there are plenty of people who are just as mobilized to keep the Red Raider mascot. A petition to keep South Point’s mascot started by South Point class of 1979 alum Celeste Kitchen has surpassed Boyce’s petition by more than 700 signatures.

“The raider is a symbol of many things that we stand for here in Belmont and at SP,” wrote Jan Turner. “It isn’t meant to be anything derogatory but is an honored symbol of a tribe, unity, courage, strength, perseverance, strong and fierce, ready for battle.”

Boyce said she’s heard conversation generated from both sides of the debate and is also aware of the opposing petition.

“I understand and empathize with the opposing side,” Boyce said. “One of our jobs is to keep educating the community about different perspectives and about why this mascot is considered offensive to many Native Americans as well as others.”

Boyce said she’s in an “information gathering stage” and is hoping to organize a group of people who are interested in becoming more involved with the effort. She’s posted a Google form on the petition’s page to gauge interest.

Boyce’s petition is directed to the South Point principal, Gaston County Schools superintendent and school board chairman as well as the Belmont mayor on the Change.org website, though Boyce has yet to actually speak with any leaders about the mascot retirement. Boyce said she wants to ensure South Point students and teachers have a say before having those conversations.

“As soon as we’re able to, we’re eager to connect with the school and district leaders soon,” Boyce said.

This story was originally published July 2, 2020 at 5:04 PM.