SKOWHEGAN, Maine — The discussion over Skowhegan middle and high school's controversial continued on Thursday at the RSU/MSAD 54 school board meeting.
The board heard three arguments from both the side in favor of keeping the mascot, and the side in favor of removing the mascot. Following the public comments section, the school board voted to address the issue and decide future steps to take during a workshop at the school board meeting on March 7.
"As a board of elected officials they probably need their time to hash it out with each other, but it is kind of more of the same," said Penobscot Nation Ambassador Maulian Dana.
The issue was addressed most recently in late 2018 during the public comments section at a meeting.
That meeting then prompted the board to hold a public forum on the topic.
At Thursday's meeting, the mascot discussion was placed on the school board meeting agenda for the first time this year. Board members will take time during its next meeting to decide what action to take.
Although the mascot and nickname had not been formally addressed on the agenda for the school board until this meeting, the discussions have taken time from members planning other important aspects of the school system.
"I'd like to be working on the school budget. I'd like to be working on just things for the kids to have our children educated," said school board chair Dixie Ring.
Ring said during the meeting that the board is roughly one month behind on budgeting for the next school year, but believes the board will have no issue finalizing the budget, and that addressing the mascot is an important issue.
Now those who have been immersed in the discussion are hoping the board can come to a decision soon on the fate of Skowhegan's "Indian" nickname.
"I hope it's a productive discussion and I hope they take into account all of the letters and phone calls and testimony that they've gotten and really make the right decision," said Dana.
The workshop for the school board to discuss the nickname will be at 7:00pm on March 1, and is open to the public, but those in attendance will not be able to make public comments during that discussion.