New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Derby schools seek state OK to keep using ‘Red Raiders’ nickname
DERBY — The city is attempting to avoid losing a hefty state grant for continuing to use the Red Raiders as a moniker for its high school sports teams.
The school district recently submitted a certification affirming it has the approval of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation to continue using the name. The state requires municipalities to either stop using imagery or names that are considered derogatory to Native Americans or lose out on money provided to districts from the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Fund.
However, districts can continue using the name and imagery without a penalty if they receive the approval of a tribal nation.
Derby Board of Education Chair Jim Gildea said Derby's school district worked with the Schaghticokes to ensure the usage and mascot were respectful.
“We worked closely with the Schaghticoke Tribe to ensure that the manner in which we used our name and mascot was respectful and honored their heritage, tradition and history,” Gildea said.
According to the state's Intergovermental Policy and Planning Division, most municipalities' districts have submitted to the state's certification process. Only 16 municipalities have yet to reply, Martin Heft, the undersecretary for the division said.
But while most municipalities have responded, only three have sent responses with tribal certification so far. Derby and New Milford received Schaghticoke tribal certification while Montville received Mohegan tribal certification, the division stated in an email to Hearst Connecticut Media.
However, Montville recently decided to stop using the term “Indians” for its sports teams according to the Associated Press, stating the city wanted to avoid what officials said was a polarizing issue.
The Schaghticoke Tribal Nation is actually based in Kent, but has an office in Derby. The district sent certifications for the Little Raiders University and the Derby Middle School Red Raiders sports teams, which were attached with a resolution from the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation stating the nation consented to Derby continuing to use the imagery and names.
The tribal nation did not answer a request for comment.
The text of the resolution said the group approved of Derby's continued usage of the term.
“Now therefore be it resolved, that we, the STN Tribal Council approve and support such use as a public means of sustaining Native American culture and history of Connecticut's first citizens,” the Schaghticoke tribal council stated.
The schools could have lost out on grant money if they did not get approval. according to school Superintendent Matt Conway.
“The financial penalty if districts didn't get approval from a tribal nation would have been $209,000 for Derby,” Conway said.
Derby's Red Raiders sports team logo features an arrowhead and a stylized image of a Native American man. It is also the namesake for the Red Raider Plaza, a shopping center in the city.
Nearly every school district in the state gets money from the fund. The funds come from casino gaming revenue at the Mohegan Sun casino and resort in Uncasville.
The state government's legislative research office released a report in 2019, stating millions of dollars have been disbursed over the years to school districts. Derby has received a little over $207,000 annually on average since 2019, but received considerably more during previous years.
Other districts in the state have decided to move away from using Native American imagery. North Haven's school board recently decided to drop the nickname “Indians” for its high school.
Other sports teams across the country have begun to stop using Native American themed mascots and names altogether. Native American tribal nations and advocates say the use of these names is harmful and perpetuates dehumanizing stereotypes of Native Americans, who suffer from high rates of violence and poor health outcomes as a historical legacy of their treatment during American history.
But Gildea said Derby residents feel the use of Native American mascots is respectful to Native Americans.
“The people in Derby, I do believe feel that we use our mascot and name as a sense of honor and tradition. And have always done so in a respectful manner,” Gildea said.