CANTON (WWJ) - The vote is in and Canton High School's Chiefs mascot and arrowhead logo are out.
Amid controversy, the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Board of Education approved to drop the high school's name and logo in a 6-1 vote on Tuesday, July 11.
According to a recent survey, the vote comes after many people voiced opposition to the change.
During public comments at Tuesday's meeting covered by WDIV, one person voiced why they didn't agree to retiring the chief and arrowhead logos.
“I personally, as a Native person, find them actually very honorable and respectful," they said.
According to officials, students came to the board in recent years about dropping the mascot and arrowhead logo, citing the word "Chief" was problematic by nature and was cultural appropriation.
School board members said they are able to change the school's symbols if the mascot and name are based on a protected class.
“My vote tonight would be to allow a new generation of students to choose a brand and a mascot which they can all be proud of,” School Board President Shawn Wilson. “It’s time to pass the baton; it’s time to pass the torch.”
As reported by WDIV, only one person --who is an alumni of Canton High School and of mixed-Indigenous heritage --spoke up during public comments in agreement to the change.
"I, unfortunately, had to compete under the arrowhead mascot, which I always took to be a symbol of Colonialism which was very, very near to my family background," they said.
Board members said Canton High School will preferably keep its red and white colors while students will get to pick the their news mascot and logo.
While there is no official public list of potential names, several posts to Twitter favored the Canton Cobras.
The school is following in the footsteps of other major Native American name changes made by sports organizations and schools. In 2020, Washington, D.C.‘s NFL team dropped the name "Redskins" -- which they had been called for 80 years -- and rebranded into the Washington Commanders.