Schools
Barnstable High Chooses Red Hawks For New Mascot
The new mascot gets rid of the Barnstable Red Raiders, which Native Americans and activists argued created racist stereotypes.
BARNSTABLE, MA — Barnstable High School is getting a new mascot.
The School Committee Wednesday voted unanimously to replace its Red Raiders mascot with the Red Hawks. Native Americans and activists had long considered, the high school's former mascot an offensive name and logo. Activists and students at a June school committee meeting called for school officials to disown the mascot, which has also been a target of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.
The new mascot name came from a recommendation of a subcommittee that has been dealing with the issue since August. School Committee member Barbara Dunn, who headed the subcommittee, said the "Red Hawks" mascot came about after surveying the high school and middle school.
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The survey drew about 1,350 responses and gave students three options. Student results were:
- 59 percent for Red Hawks
- 22.3 percent for Ravens
- 18.7 percent for Hurricanes
Superintendent Meg Mayo-Brown said she's spoken with the head of the high school's art department about having students design the new logo.
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