Seneca Valley school directors on Monday voted to retire the district's American Indian-related mascot and imagery while keeping the “Raider” name as, following input from Native American groups, the district determined “the use of a Native American mascot is no longer perceived as representing the people of the Seneca Nation in a positive manner.”

JACKSON TWP — The “Raider” name remains, but a new mascot will join the fray.

Seneca Valley school directors on Monday voted to retire the district's American Indian-related mascot and imagery while keeping the “Raider” name as, following input from Native American groups, the district determined “the use of a Native American mascot is no longer perceived as representing the people of the Seneca Nation in a positive manner.”

The district made this decision following an April presentation from a group of students aimed at convincing school directors to retire the American Indian-associated mascot and imagery from Seneca Valley's image because of statements from groups such as the Seneca Nation of Indians.

Seneca directors made this decision in the face of public opinion both favoring and opposing the retirement of the district's indigenous imagery. When the board compiled its agenda for Monday, it had received 14 communications from community members who sought to keep the mascot and 15 from those who sought to retire it.

This is an excerpt from Tuesday’s Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.