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Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Board punts on picking new mascot until state funding plan clear
Reardan school board members Jeff Anderson, Roger Peterson and Simon Butterfield discuss what direction to take on selecting a new mascot at the board's July 28 meeting.
REARDAN – The school board officially dropped the "Indians" mascot from the district following the passage of House Bill 1356, which outlaws the use of Native American mascots or logos amongst public schools in Washington unless the nearest tribe grants permission for an exception. The decision was made at the board's July 28 meeting.
A new mascot, however, wasn't yet chosen due to funding concerns.
Superintendent Eric Sobotta informed present board members Jeff Anderson, Roger Peterson and Simon Butterfield that there was no clear state guidance on how the district would be reimbursed for the costs incurred in officially changing the mascot.
Finance director Justin Flaa estimated the total cost to the district for a complete mascot change would be up to $500,000, and the state has allocated just $1.6 million in its biennial budget to cover the costs of all Native American mascot and logo changes statewide.
The district had until Sept. 1 to officially do away with the "Indians" mascot, so the board made that move tonight. But until state funding is better cleared up, an official announcement on the new mascot will have to wait.
The new mascot became apparent despite its lack of confirmation, however. Local surveys amongst community members, alumni, staff and students indicated a convincing victory for the "Screaming Eagles," a nod to Reardan native and posthumous Medal of Honor recipient Joe E. Mann's 101st Airborne Division. The runner-up was the "Ravens."
While "Screaming Eagles" appears to be the choice, that is in no way official until the board makes it so. The board has until Jan. 1 to make the final move.
So when Reardan takes the field against Northwest Christian on Nov. 3, they likely will be doing so with the pride of the town but no mascot accompanying them.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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