The mascot vote is getting revised for a second time as Thunder has been deemed ‘offensive and non-inclusive’ by the Peel District School Board’s (PDSB) Equity Team. As stated in the letter sent home to North Park families, “we are committed to fostering critical thinking and critical consciousness, empowering students to become agents of change for a more equitable and inclusive world. Which Thunder does not do and so the mascot must be changed.”
In the official statement the PDSB Equity Team’s reasons are listed:
- “Associated with lightning which is violent and harmful.”
PDSB’s Equity Team wanted to highlight just how harmful lightning has been throughout history, being responsible for property destruction, physical harm, and even death. They don’t want a mascot who is associated with something so harmful, and wants to encourage Peel students to avoid associating with those who cause harm to others.
- “Thunder has historically scared and frightened people of colour.”
People of colour and marginalized groups have been historically oppressed in Canada, which has caused them to be scared. The Equity Team wants to make sure no people of colour are ever scared again. With the booming sounds of thunder being so frightening, it goes directly against PDSB’s Equity Team’s goal.
- “Thunder overreaches in its inclusion and fails to highlight the contributions of marginalized groups.”
The goal of equity is to provide resources and help to those in need by their needs. The Equity Team believes that by not representing any specific group through the mascot, they are failing to achieve marginalized representation and, in turn, equity.
- “Thunder fails to be inclusive enough with overt North American bias.”
Lightning and Thunder are very common symbols in pop culture and fail to properly depict our diverse community. If we are to choose a symbol to represent North Park the Equity Team wants to make sure it’s not one commonly used in North American popular culture.
- Thunder was the nickname of Christopher ‘Thunder’ Columbus who was harmful to Indigenous groups.
Despite there being no proof supporting the claim of the Thunder nickname, The Equity Team stated, “Thunder was a very common nickname for Christopher Columbus. While the history of Columbus is significant, it also reflects colonialism, which can be harmful to many of the students and staff.”
A new mascot vote will go out to students later today and will remain open for ten minutes. PDSB’s Equity Team hopes the new chosen mascot will fit their version of equity: to create a mascot that “embodies community and strength.”
Photo Credits: Bal D.
THE NORTH STAR 