JPS Board President Paul Abbott reads statement on Raiders nickname (February 28, 2023)
The Jamestown Public Schools district has been ordered to change the Raiders nickname or risk losing state aid.
School Board President Paul Abbott, reading a prepared statement, said Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker and six other districts in the region had a virtual meeting recently with members of the State Department of Education regarding nicknames or mascots that were questionable or needed to be changed.
He said State Education informed districts that the Raiders nickname could no longer by used, “Districts that do not comply will not receive state aid. They have set a timetable for these changes. So over the next two plus school years we have to replace all school uniforms, paint over all walls, and replace any flooring or turf at the expense of local taxpayers. The state is not funding any of this.”
Abbott reminded board members that the district willingly went through the process, starting in 2014, of removing Native American imagery following a letter received from the Seneca Nation, “It is also worth noting that as we continued through the process and chose a new mascot in 2021, we collaborated and communicated with the Seneca Nation. Let me say this – If this is the final decision on the matter, we will change. Priority one with this Board has always been the students. We won’t do anything that we can clearly see would be bad for students. We won’t lose taxpayer money over a mascot.”
Whitaker said the district’s plan for the process they will follow for a nickname change must be approved by the School Board and submitted to the State by June, “Then, in the next year, meaning 2023-24, we have to change all of the imagery, anything that is relatively inexpensive to change. Then by 2024-25, June of 2025, we have to change everything. So, that would be turf, very expensive stuff, turf, uniforms, things like that.”
Whitaker said the district does plan to reconvene the Jamestown High School Mascot Committee to work on selecting a new nickname.
School Districts across the state received notice in November 2022 from the State Department of Education that the use of Native American imagery for mascots for schools was being effectively banned, and that additional requirements would be forthcoming. That came after another school district lost its appeal in State Supreme Court to keep its Native American mascot and nickname.
Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education President Paul Abbott statement on the order by the New York State Department of Education that “Raiders” nickname must be changed.
What about St Mary’s prep school in Buffalo
They are also called the Red Raiders !!!!!
What is wrong with Jamestown High School Raiders as the name.? Do they want the color RED to be taken out of everything?
The word Raiders is derived from RAID which is a noun. 1863 American Civil War. “One engaged in a hostile or predatory incursion.”
Are they upset by the word “hostile or predatory?”
Give me a break.
Are they then going to go after Las Vegas Raiders, or Kansas City Chiefs (oh no Chiefs is a bad word), or the Cincinnati Reds.?
Please don’t they have anything better to do with their time.?
This school district like many others did what was asked of them and changed their mascots for good now they want us to change our name why?
In this news story it never mentions as to why they want the name changed. Why? that is the question.
Was that asked,” WHY does the name have to be changed when we changed the mascot?”
Nothing is wrong with the name Jamestown Raiders
Just get rid of all school sports, my taxes are enough already.
You’re absolutely correct. My school was Iroquois Central mascot Iroquois Chiefs. I see it as honoring the Iroquois Nation