The Penn Hills School district will hold a town hall next month to discuss changing its mascot.
District superintendent Dr. Nancy Hines says changing the name Penn Hills Indians is not a new conversation, but it gained ground in 2020.
With pandemic restrictions less of a hurdle, they're now revisiting it. She says some students are leading the discussion and considering ideas for new names.
"When you think about what are student leaders are doing and having their conversations, I'm really proud of them. They are practicing what we are teaching them about diversity, equity, inclusion and having a sense of belonging. Why would we want to shut down the conversation?"
Hines says the district has already received over 30 emails from all perspectives.
The school board will consider whether or not to change the mascot from the Penn Hills Indians to something else, as other districts and even pro sports teams weigh similar decisions.
"This is a really difficult conversation. There's a lot of emotions that can be generated. No one is trying to create an old Penn Hills vs. the new Penn Hills, or anything like that," Hines said.
The district will host a town hall to get public input April 13 at 6 p.m. Student leaders have already recommended some new options, including Big Red and Panthers.
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