Debate over Savannah School District mascot continues

Debate over Savannah School District mascot continues

<<chris: the savannah r-3 school district has used the mascot "savages" with a native american symbol for decades... some say it represents fierce, or a force of nature, a sense of pride...while others believe it's offensive and creates a hostile environment for any student of color, particulary students of native background...and both sides of the debate making their voices heard...(nat sound: cars driving by)(sot, kaiser haag: we're trying to let the kids now know that are in my spot 10 years ago, that's deragatory, connecting the combo and the word "savages and it's very insensitive.") (sot, hunter bailey: "we've built everything on respect and hardwork and determination, persistence, pride, and that is what i believe the word savage entails in a nutshell.")the debate to change savannah's long-standing mascot started up again last month when amanda barr, savannah high school alum, created an online petition garnering a few thousand signatures...(sot, amanda barr: "it has been used for 500 years in the america's to describe people who are uncivilized as animalistic, as beast, and used it as a reason to massacre them.")the online petition features several comments calling for an end to the belived-to-be offensive mascot...(sot, amanda barr: "a lot of them are from native americans from the area or nearby and say that it's always hurt me, but i never felt safe speaking up.")and now, 2010 savannah graduate kaiser haag, who is a member of the kickapoo tribe, says it's time for change...(sot, kaise haag: "my family is mostly native american believe that it always made us stand out because of the native american image it kind of puts us on the spot.") while haag and many others want the name changed...a counter-petition, also created by savannah alum jeff hovey says the name is not offensive....in a quote to kq2...hovey says myself and everyone on my side of the debate do not see it as offensive, because we honor those that came before us and never use the term in a derogatory fashion.

The name is not directed at one race... and for hunter bailey, who graduated, and now coaches and works in the district says he is also against a name change...(sot, hunter bailey: "point blank answer, i am.

I am pretty firm in that.

I'll be pretty hard headed when it comes to that question, but to also make it clear, i am absolutely confident that we can entertain a conversation and we can sit down and discuss this.") chris standup: and the conversation continues tuesday, when the savannah school board of education will allow people to speak from both sides of the issue during the public comment of the meeting...more than 4,000 people have signed the petition to change and more than 2,100 have signed to keep the mascotwe'll have more on the debate tomorrow and tuesday leading up to the meeting...ron back