Sandusky Community Schools will head into next school year with no mascot; process is on pause

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On Monday, July 18, the Sandusky School Board of Education held its annual reorganization meeting, appointing board members to new roles. Taking over as board president for Susan Dreyer will be Jason Trepkowski, with Carolyn Stoutenburg being voted to serve as vice president, with the board voting Norah Harding as secretary and Daniel Gerstenberger as the treasurer.

Just as importantly at Monday night’s meeting, however, was a vote originally not on the agenda– one regarding the plan to replace the school’s Redskin mascot.

Board member Robert Hassler requested the addition, and addressed the district community before beginning his presentation. Hassler, who himself disagrees with replacing the mascot, urged community members to stop “using social media to hunt these people [on the board] down,” going on to add, “Instead of using social media to run people down, why don’t we use social media to come up with a better solution?”

In his presentation to the board, Hassler noted that the board may have made the decision too quickly, with the mascot not costing them participation in or hosting of athletic events so far this postseason, with a girls’ basketball regional to be hosted in the upcoming season without disapproval from the MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association).

Hassler also addressed the bigger concern of the mascot change– money. With the board’s mascot decision, it was stipulated a minimal amount of funding could come from the school’s $13 million general fund, but with the school’s June application for $165,000 to the Native American Heritage Fund being rejected, Hassler recommended that the district put a hold on spending more on the mascot removal. As it stands, the district has spent just under $9,000 of the predicted $15,000 removal cost, which includes gym floor and wall pad replacement, as well as new chairs and new goal pad posts.

Hassler recommended that the board meet for another workshop, similar to the July 12th workshop, to discuss the mascot issue more, but this time, to also form a new mascot committee that includes community members, students and board members. The board voted unanimously to put a hold on spending and removing the mascot, with the process to be revisited at a later time.

Also discussed at Monday’s meeting was the parking lot crack sealing and seal coating project at the Jr./Sr. High School will be starting next week, with tennis court repairs planned soon.