GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Native American leaders and other advocates staged a rally outside Monday's Gaston County Board of Education meeting in an effort to change the Red Raider nickname at South Point High School.
The group, known as the Retire the Red Raider coalition, has been pushing Gaston County schools to change the South Point mascot, calling it offensive and demeaning to Native Americans.
“We have people in the office in the government, teachers, doctors, lawyers professionals," Rebecca LaClaire, Metrolina Native American Association Chair said. "We don’t need a mascot to represent us."
The coalition says Gaston County education officials have refused to discuss the issue. An online petition created in 2020 generated more than 11,000 signatures in support of removing the Red Raider name.
“Our students, not only our native students, are being discriminated against but sadly non-native students are being discriminated against," Becky Rice Gaither, Gaston County parent, said. "They’re not getting the true heart of what it is. It’s a stereotype and it needs to be removed.”
The Lumbee Tribal Council and other Native American groups have voiced public opposition to the mascot name over the last two years.
“I am a commissioner for the Commission of Indian Affairs," LaClaire said. "And so we have a legislative committee. So if Gaston County School Board is not going to do this we are going to push this to the General Assembly.”
Monday's rally included tribal leaders, community advocates, students, parents and South Point alumni, organizers said. Tribal leaders, students and community members also spoke at the school board meeting to address leaders during calls for public comment.
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