Dedham High Plans to Change School's Mascot

The portrayal of high school mascots has regularly stirred debate across America, especially teams called the Redskins, Warriors, Sachems and Red Raiders. In an effort to become politically correct, many schools have opted for an image overhaul.

According to The Boston Globe, the Dedham High School Marauders are seriously considering a makeover of their own. Many people do not even know what a Marauder is, but those familiar with the team mascot are a bit surprised, considering the logo is a pirate.

Back in 2007, Dedham transitioned to the pirate logo after sporting a Native American on their uniforms. School officials say the decision to choose a pirate was temporary and that they are ready for a change.

“We are in the process of branding ourselves,” Dedham High School principal Ron McCarthy told the newspaper.

It still remains unclear as to why the school feels it needs to drop the pirate logo. After all, it is far from offensive. Nevertheless, the school is weighing two fresh options for its rebranded image.

The school is considering a classic letter “D” accompanied by the word “Marauders.” They also could go with a more patriotic theme, showcasing an image of a colonial drummer and a flaming torch.

Students at the school seem to be pleased with the pirate, but would like to be included in the discussion about altering the Dedham logo.

To this day, nearly 40 schools across the Bay State still use Native American mascots, names, or logos.