Strength, Honor and Bravery Come in Many Forms
Tuesday night's vote by the School Committee to retire the Native American imagery associated with the high school logo was an important step in making Wakefield a more welcoming and inclusive town. While I do not believe the use of the warrior imagery was meant to be hurtful, there is no denying the message from local Native American representatives that it is.
As the School Committee emphasized in making their decision, there is so much still to be done to honor and respect the rich traditions, culture and contemporary lives of Native Americans in Wakefield and beyond. As a town leader, I pledge to make sure that we work together to make this happen.
I am pleased that the name Warrior is being retained. As the survey results showed, the consensus is that the warrior name denotes strength, bravery and honor. These attributes will continue to define Wakefield High School students in all their endeavors. Today's warriors are not just on an athletic field or band line, they are also members of the Youth Council, organizers of Black Lives Matter marches and climate activists who are bravely speaking up for the kind of world they want to live in.
I urge you to vote to reaffirm that Wakefield is a town welcoming to all by voting NO on the April 27th non-binding ballot question.