From the Washington Commanders to the Cleveland Guardians, sports teams have been dropping their politically incorrect mascots in favor of more inclusive images for several years. Now, one high school in Dickinson, N.D., is removing a mascot it has used for more than a century, and it is not a representation of Native Americans like so many others that have been replaced in recent years.
The Dickinson High School Midgets won’t be represented by the image of a short, angry-looking man in an orange sweater much longer.
According to Valley News, the Dickinson High School athletic director, Guy Fridley confirmed the decision to retire the midget mascot in a letter to students and families. The letter stated, “After much thoughtful discussion and input from students and staff, we have made the difficult but important decision to retire the ‘Midget’ mascot at the end of this school year and begin the search for one that better reflects the spirit of DHS.”
The letter went on to say that the school district could no longer ignore the legal concerns brought on by the mascot, and acknowledged that the ‘midget,’ more modernly known as Achondroplasia, is a protected disability by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“We understand that for many, the Midget mascot is deeply rooted in tradition and pride,” the letter said. “However, we must recognize that just because something was once considered acceptable doesn’t mean it still aligns with values today.
Moving forward, Dickinson High School plans to gather new mascot suggestions from students and the community. Students will then vote for their favorite new mascot suggestion and design the logo.
While changing the mascot seems like a simple move on the surface, some community members have concerns about what this change will cost them. Dickinson High School will need new uniforms for its sports teams that do not include the old logo. The school will also need a new gymnasium floor. However, school leaders said in the letter that they plan to roll these changes out in phases to reduce costs.
