As Connecticut schools face changing Native American-themed mascot names to avoid losing financial assistance, Newtown High School is a quarter century beyond voluntarily switching its mascot from the Indian to the Nighthawk.

Connecticut schools that still use Native American nicknames and mascots will take a financial hit if they continue to use those images. Beginning in fiscal year 2023, a bill that spells out details of a new state budget makes those communities with school mascots, logos, and nicknames depicting Native Americans ineligible for grants provided from the Mashantucket Pequot Mohegan Fund, which comes from the state’s share of slot machine revenues generated at Connecticut’s two tribal casinos. The schools would need permission from a nearby state or federally recognized tribe to continue to use the image or name. Related to this, the bill adds Native American studies to the social studies curriculum that public schools are required to teach, beginning in the 2023-24 school year.

Approximately a dozen schools in Connecticut still use Native American names or images. Some communities have already changed the names of their athletic teams in light of the racial reckoning that has been taking place in the US. For example, the Manchester Indians became the Red Hawks in 2019 following a months-long campaign by students, who said the mascot was a stereotype they could not support.

While some believe use of Native American mascots is offensive, others say use of such mascots honor Native Americans. Killingly High School changed its name from Redmen to Redhawks in 2019 but changed it back to Redmen the next year.

Newtown High School was ahead of the curve.

In The Newtown Bee’s January 19, 1996, front page article, “Indian Mascot Begins To Fade From The High School,” Steve Bingham wrote, “The debate over whether or not the Indian mascot was offensive to Native Americans started two years ago. The controversy created a division among students, some of whom believed the Indian mascot symbolized honor, while others saw it as degrading. Since then, students and parents have noticed what appears to be a push to tone down the mascot symbol.”

The article noted that items with the Indians mascot had been removed from the shelves at the school store and that band uniforms no longer promoted the mascot.

Then-NHS physical education teacher Dan Winsette was quoted in the article as saying, “We’re phasing out the Indian mascot without ever being told we had to. No one has ever come forward and said we had to get rid of the Indian.”

The article indicates that a decision about whether or not the mascot would be changed could be expected by the end of the school year.

The Bee’s February 9, 1996, issue includes a front page article by Bingham and Tom Wyatt, “The Indian Must Go, School Administration Decides,” which details then-Principal Bill Manfredonia’s announcement that the Newtown Indian would be no more, effective June 1 of that year.

“Before finishing, a roar broke out in the NHS lobby as more than 400 students assembled in protest of the decision,” the article reads.

According to that February 1996 article, “The controversy over the Indian’s validity as a mascot at NHS became heated back in 1990 when Jim Roiux, an American Indian, spoke to the NHS Leadership Council, expressing his people’s displeasure with the use of Indians as mascots at all levels of sports. It nearly got changed that year when the council voted unanimously to change the mascot, but the student body voted to reverse the council’s decision at an assembly. This time around, students did not have a say.”

Plenty of controversy ensued. A February 16, 1996, Bee article on the cover has the headline, “Mascot Issue Sparks Strong Response Throughout Newtown.”

More recently, other schools have addressed their Native American-related mascots and nicknames.

Hebron-based RHAM high school dropped its nickname, the Sachems, to become the Raptors in 2020. Also in 2020, Glastonbury went from Tomahawks to Guardians. Watertown’s Board of Education voted earlier this year to for the high school to drop the nickname Indians. The North Haven Board of Education voted to retire the North Haven Indians logo in June. Northwest Catholic (Indians to Lions), Guilford (Indians to Grizzlies), and Newington (Indians to Nor’easters) have also changed their nicknames in recent years.

As of the end of this school year, the Canton Warriors, Conard of West Hartford Chieftains, Derby Red Raiders, Hall of West Hartford Warriors, Killingly Redmen (and Redgals), Montville Indians, Nonnewaug of Woodbury Chiefs, Wamogo Regional Warriors, Wilcox Technical of Meriden Indians, Wilton Warriors, Windsor Warriors, and Torrington Red Raiders continued to use names that could be considered controversial.

“Towns around this state have been told year after year by Connecticut’s Native American tribes that their nicknames and mascots are horribly offensive,” state Senator Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, the co-chairman of the General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee said in a written statement. “If certain cities and towns won’t listen to their fellow citizens, then they can certainly do without the tribal money that they are showing such disrespect toward.”

This, of course, is not only a high school-level issue.

Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Indians are planning to change their name and have already dropped use of the mascot Chief Wahoo. The National Football League’s Washington franchise dropped the name Redskins and helmet logo and temporarily adopted the name Washington Football Team. Such changes have been made in the minor leagues and collegiate levels, such as the St, John’s University Redmen becoming the Red Storm in 1994.

When Newtown High School’s sports teams take to the fields and courts during the 2021-22 school year, they will represent the Nighthawks for the 25th year — some of the opposing teams may have first-year nicknames.

Associated Press content was used in this report.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.