Allentown’s Raub Middle School has new mascot after removing the Indian

Allentown’s Raub Middle School will now be represented by the Ravens, after the district removed its former mascot out of sensitivity toward Native Americans.

The other considerations were the Wolves, Dragons and Lions. The Ravens received the most votes from students, staff, community members and school board directors.

Board President Sara Brace said at Thursday’s board meeting, where the new name was announced, that changing the mascot will “make sure our schools are welcome to all.”

Superintendent Thomas Parker called it “a really strong symbolic change.”

In September, the district removed the Indian from the school’s social media, website and correspondence. The mascot change comes as teams from professional sports to schools are pushed to replace names and mascots that could be offensive to Native Americans.

In July, Washington’s NFL team said it would drop its Redskins nickname and logo of almost 90 years.

Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Indians also said it would consider changing its name.

Raub is the first school in the Lehigh Valley to do so.

Lehighton Area School District teams are known as the Indians and Wilson Area School District’s nickname is the Warriors. There has been no public push to change either name.