Radnor has been struggling with the interpretation of its high school mascot: a Native American warrior called the Radnor Red Raider, writes Dana Thomas for The New York Times.

The mascot was adopted in the mid-1960s honoring a beloved coach, Emerson Metoxen of the Oneida Tribe.

There are alumni who see nothing offensive, considering what it honors, and that the “Red” in its name refers to the school’s colors, red and white.

But many students, and the school board majority, find the mascot non-inclusive and racist. The National Congress of American Indians, among others, agree.

“Multiple studies prove that these mascots, which are stereotypes of Native American people, cause real damage,” said Paul Chaat Smith, a curator for the National Museum of the American Indian.

The mascot has since been retired, replaced by the Radnor Raptor.

School Board President Susan Stern pointed out the mascot issue did not create a divide in the community, it revealed it, with camps forming pro and con.

Radnor School District’s student population has historically been largely white. That’s been changing.  

In the 2019-2020 school year, 42 percent of the district’s 2,661 students were BIPOC, including four classified as American Indian/Alaska Native.

Read more at The New York Times about Radnor’s mascot.