The Plymouth-Canton Community Schools district will receive $145,894.40 from the Native American Heritage Fund to help fund the change of team names and mascot at Canton High School.
The mascot and team names will be changed from the Chiefs to the Cobras. The longstanding Chiefs identity was considered defamatory by some students who advocated a change, approved by members of the school board amidst controversy and complaints from alumni. Canton High School students conducted surveys of potential new names, before a majority of students voted for the Cobras designation in November. Officials said the rebranding initiative is within the district policies.
The Native American Heritage Fund is a Michigan public body that distributes grants to schools, colleges and universities, and local governments to support initiatives to improve curricula and resources related to Native American issues, and mascot or imagery revisions. Funding from the grant will be used to support the estimated cost of updating uniforms, logos and other paraphernalia related to the mascot rebrand.
“Plymouth-Canton Community Schools is grateful to the Native American Heritage Fund for its generous support as we prepare to launch an exciting new phase for Canton High School that builds toward the future,” said Plymouth Canton Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Monica L. Merritt.
The grant was approved by the board members of NAHF along with grants to 10 state entities, the largest award to Plymouth Canton schools.
“Over the past several years, we have helped 15 schools retire and rebrand their mascots,” said NAHF chairperson Dori Rios, who is also the tribal council chairperson of the Nottawaseppi Huron band of the Potawatomi. “In 2018 we started with six R-word (redskins) mascots. After this year, will have zero in Michigan.”
