The Shenendehowa school district will leave its Plainsmen name behind following Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting.
In a five-to-one vote, the Shenendehowa Board of Education approved a measure that would begin to move the Clifton Park district away from the Indigenous moniker.
It’s the latest district to make such a change under a state requirement.
In April 2023, the New York State Board of Regents approved a resolution to bar the use of Indigenous names, mascots, and logos by public schools, requiring schools to adjust by June 2025.
Shen Superintendent L. Oliver Robinson emphasized the resolution is not about erasing the district’s history.
“Anything like this is a transition forward, it’s not a transition back. It’s a transition forward. And so, again, the resolution language was hopefully written to recognize that piece of it because I think that’s probably the biggest piece of it; where do we go from here? So to speak,” said Robinson.
Robinson noted that the process and timeline to choose a new moniker is still undecided.
“The reality of it is we have a mandate that we’re trying to comply with and want to comply with in the most reasonable way in terms of as we move forward as a system. Now, even to the point, and I don’t have a timeline or haven’t had any conversations with anyone to this point, formally or otherwise, about planning for what does a future name or logo look like. Because that’s something the last time we did this, I think that was in 2014, and that was initiated and facilitated largely by high school students. Whether that will be the case moving forward I don’t know,” said Robinson.
According to Shenendehowa’s resolution, the state Education Department informed the district that its Plainsmen team name “falls into the category of prohibited use.”
In January, the board approved a resolution to remove the Indigenous headdress from the logo.
Board President Petra Holden highlighted potential consequences if the district failed to follow state guidance.
“I just wanted to point out, no had mentioned yet that State ED has a carrot and sticks. The stick for this would be they would pull our state aid which would be potentially tens of thousands of dollars, hundreds of thousands of dollars. And they can also remove Dr. Robinson as an administrator,” said Holden.
Other districts have fought the regulations in court.
Board Vice President Tom Templeton, a former student in the district, said it is important that district leadership take this moment to continue to honor the district’s history in a way that aligns with state regulations.
“I do think it’s important to note, as several people said, that this is not the will of Shen, but the will of State ED. I think we need to recognize what we are in control of here is whether or not we frame this as a loss, or as an opportunity to evolve. Because the pride isn’t going anywhere. My pride in my alma mater is not going anywhere. And regardless of the process we discussed earlier and what that might look like to determine a new mascot and how that might unfold. I can guarantee, at no doubt, that it will be done with the utmost respect to our 75 years here,” said Templeton.
Carla Thompson was the sole no vote. She said it will be important to incorporate as many voices as possible in choosing a new team name.
“It’s going to happen whether we fight for it and lose, fight for and win something I don’t know what we would win, it wouldn’t be the same,” said Thompson.
According to the resolution, the Plainsmen nickname will be removed “upon the completion of the football field, gym floors, and other prominent areas.”