Representatives from the Salmon High School Student Council went to Fort Hall recently to learn more about how students there feel about their mascot. The mascot has been at the center of controversy in recent months and is now the subject of legal action by the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media. RoseAnn Abrahamson, a Lemhi Shoshone who graduated from Salmon High School in the 1970s, told the Salmon students her way of being popular in high school had been to become a Salmon Savages cheerleader and mascot. And I tell you today, I'm ashamed of myself. From Banana Slugs to Thunder Chickens, school mascots are supposed to create a sense of allegiance and good luck for the schools they represent.
Mascots are the center of debate in several states.
Hawai'i is now one of them. The question now is whether the University of Hawai'i will have a mascot. While it's traditional to have a mascot, it is not required said James Donovan, assistant UH athletic director. I don't think it determines whether we win or lose a game. An anonymous letter threatening physical harm to the UH football mascot in September led UH officials to stop the mascot from appearing in any game this season.