The Seneca Valley School District is the latest system to discontinue the use of Native American imagery from its identity.
After a push from students and staff to remove the mascot earlier this year, the school board voted on Monday to do away with such images throughout the district. The vote was 8-0 in favor of retiring the mascot.
According to Eric DiTullio, Seneca Valley School Board president, “we listened to the Seneca people. We understood where they were coming from.”
“There were a lot who wanted to keep it initially because of the heritage here behind it but hearing that the Seneca nation said ‘we don’t want to be honored in that way,’ it meant a lot to hear directly and was hard to argue against,” Mr. DiTullio said. “It was the proper decision. It was the right decision based on what the people were saying what they thought was right.”
The Seneca Valley Social Handprints Overcoming Unjust Treatment Student Committee gave a presentation at last month’s board meeting arguing the Raider name and mascot should be retired. Their presented research included a historical review, analysis of the district’s use of Native American images and interviews with local leaders of the Seneca Nation of Indians and National Congress of American Indians.
“We proclaim the name ‘Raider’ to be an honor, a source of pride for our district but the definition is not one that paints Indigenous Americans, let alone ourselves, as we claim to represent in a positive perspective,” Benaifer Sepai, a recently graduated senior, said in the presentation. “The people that we are honoring themselves have been very clear with their stance and they do not want to be represented as Raiders, or frankly as any mascots.”
According to the board resolution, the district “recognizes that the continued use of a mascot that is insensitive and offensive to the very persons intended to be honored is inconsistent with a diverse and inclusive educational environment and requires change to reflect our multicultural community and values.”
Despite the latest decision, the district will continue to use the “Raiders” nickname in conjunction with a new mascot.
The district had been discussing for decades how it used Native American culture as part of its own identity.
In 2000, the Seneca Valley School Board voted to maintain the Raider mascot and logo. At that time, a district spokeswoman said “members of the local multicultural committee reviewed the use of the logo” and decided to keep it because “it was developed out of respect for the original inhabitants.”
As made apparent in public comments during Monday’s meeting, some still believe the school should maintain the mascot.
“I haven’t been in Seneca for long but the Raider mascot has been a big part of the district and it’d be great to represent something that has been a part of such a big community for so long,” said rising senior Alyssa Morrison, of Cranberry. “I believe that this is a worldwide movement to incite change wherever people think needs it, no matter it being right or wrong. Seneca has had their mascot since the ‘60s and had the Native American tribe’s approval. Why is the mascot now a problem 61 years later?”
Destiny Inks, also a rising senior from Cranberry, agrees that the district should maintain its mascot as “the Raiders have been such a big part of our community and I think this change is not needed. In my opinion, it would be an honor to be able to have such a big school to have a mascot as a Native American.
“We are known as the Seneca Valley Raiders,” Destiny said. “Changing the mascot is going to affect so many things, for example, our school merchandise and our football games. If we change our mascot name, football games just would not be the same. If we change our mascot, that means everyone would need to get new merchandise. The school would have to invest money into new clothing and accessories. The sports teams would have to get new uniforms.”
The move away from Native American imagery mirrors other efforts throughout the area. In December, Shady Side Academy changed its nickname from the Indians to the Bulldogs after its board of trustees voted unanimously to make the switch.
Apart from schools, communities have been taking a second look at how Native American names are used. Fox Chapel in April renamed Squaw Run Road with Hemlock Hollow Road, and Squaw Run Road East with Riding Meadow Road.
A student committee is being developed by the district to review and propose new Seneca Valley mascots for consideration. The targeted date for these recommendations is Aug. 1 with hopes to receive further student input during the upcoming school year.
Hannah Wyman: hwyman@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1255
First Published: June 15, 2021, 3:03 p.m.
