Canton High School Gets $145K For Mascot Rebrand

PLYMOUTH-CANTON, MI — The Native American Heritage Fund is helping Canton High School replace its "Chiefs" mascot with a new "Cobras" mascot.

The group announced it will give Plymouth-Canton Community Schools $145,894 in 2024 to help with the costs of updating uniforms, logos and other paraphernalia related to the mascot rebrand.

"Plymouth-Canton Community Schools is grateful to the Native American Heritage Fund for its generous support as we prepare to launch an exciting new phase for Canton High School that builds toward the future," Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Superintendent Monica Merritt said in a written statement.

The Native American organization is a Michigan public body that distributes grants to schools, colleges and universities, and local governments to support initiatives to improve curricula and resources related to Native American issues, and mascot or imagery revisions.

The Plymouth-Canton school board voted 6-1 in July 2023 to get rid of Canton High School's "Chief" mascot and arrowhead logo.

The vote came after board members said they received lots of complaints from the community, including from students, who believe the name, logo and mascot are offensive to Native Americans.

Last December, the board voted 5-1 to change the name and mascot to the Canton Cobras.

A petition that sought to recall three Plymouth-Canton school board members failed after it did not get enough signatures.