Marquette Community comes to open forum to talk about school nickname change

MARQUETTE –An ongoing conversation that has continued to divide the Marquette community is none other than the high school nickname. An open public forum was held for the community, pro and against the nickname change, to express their opinions.

The forum was held at the Kaufman Auditorium and gave many members of the community a chance to talk about the nickname change. The change has been brought up due to some taking offense to the current nickname known as the Redmen. Some of community is asking for a more inclusive nickname for all who attend the school district. There were over 60 individuals who wanted to speak on the subject with many of them being on very opposite view points.

“Our school needs to grow and adapt and be in the modern world,” said Michael Joy a Marquette Resident. “Changing the name we use to present ourselves is a positive step that we need to take. Our students do not need a nickname that they have to constantly explain and excuse.”

“Despite recent complaints of the name being claimed as being offensive or racist, it is not being used in that way in the sense of a slur or anything like that,” explained Hunter Simon a freshman at Marquette Senior High School. “It is almost inappropriate to claim it is that way. This is because we use it to mean that we are strong, powerful, intelligent and brave.”

The original name of Redmen came from the colors that the school was given. Later in the 1930s the mascot of the school later changed to adopt Native American symbolism which was used until the late 1990s and later taken off. Other members of the community also contributed different ideas such as changing the mascot and name to the Marquette Mariners and or Just the Marquette Reds.