High School’s mascot up for discussion

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    WATERTOWN, CT (WFSB) — Watertown High School’s mascot could become a thing of the past.

The school’s mascot committee is holding a virtual meeting Tuesday evening, where anyone can speak for or against the school’s current Indian mascot.

After 2009, when former student Colleen Murphy graduated high school, she started taking an issue with her school’s mascot, the Indian.

Last summer, she worked with hundreds of her fellow alumni to start a petition to get the mascot out.

Since then, her group has continued to urge the Board of Education, presenting more research of the issue at other meetings.

“We reached out to native voices in the community, in the state of Connecticut, and even throughout the country,” said Murphy, of Watertown.

In response, the Board created a Mascot Committee, made up of Board of Education members, community members, staff and students.

Krista Palomba, a member and alum herself, said removing the mascot takes away an opportunity to teach about Native American history, particularly local history.

“It’s about talking about the issues. It’s about talking about Native Americans, and where is the history, we’re losing it because it’s not being taught in the schools. And that’s why my platform is educate, not eradicate,” Palomba said.

Interim Superintendent of Schools Janet Parlato is also head of the Mascot Committee, and said voices from both sides have been heard loud and clear.

“To me that makes for a productive conversation because both sides have been represented and have been articulating themselves in terms of their position,” Parlato said.

The Mascot Committee will meet one more time on Wednesday, after Tuesday’s town hall meeting.

They will then have their recommendation for the board done by the end of the month.

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