Politixia
ORISKANY — Oriskany Central School Board of Education Vice President Carl Graziadei has made clear he does not support the pending ban on school mascots imposed by the New York State Education Department and specifically its governing Board of Regents.
That ban could effectively end the use of the Oriskany Redskins name and the logo of a headdress-wearing Native American, but it could also be only the “tip of the iceberg,” Graziadei said.
“Make no mistake; the Board of Regents is bullying us into making changes based on what they think is right or wrong and they will not stop there,” he promised.
Addressing the board and its audience at its regular meeting on Tuesday, April 25, Graziadei, a 1981 graduate of the school himself, said he appreciates the long history of the Oriskany Redskins name — which is now under fire as the Board of Regents seeks to eliminate potentially offensive Indigenous imagery.
“I was taught that the name ‘Oriskany Redskins’ was a sign of respect to be held in the highest regard and that is how I, and this community, have treated it for so many years,” he explained.
Graziadei stressed that in no way does he support or condone any “offending, degrading, demoralizing or disrespecting any culture.” New York State is the home to many diverse cultures and ideas, he said, and he feels fortunate to have the nearby Oneida Indian Nation as neighbors. The Oneida Nation has done great things for the area, he noted, and many Oriskany residents work at and support their enterprises.
After much consideration, he does understand how the moniker “Redskins” could be offensive to some people, Graziadei said, but he does not understand nor agree that the image of a Native American wearing a headdress is offensive.
“Growing up, I was taught to respect all cultures, including the Native American culture,” he explained. “The Redskin mascot was viewed as a proud symbol of the American Indian representing their mighty pride and strength — the very reason Oriskany chose to use the Redskins as the symbol for their sports teams.”
There will be a significant monetary cost to making the change, Graziadei added, even if state aid pays a majority of the expense. This is not “free” money, he noted, as state residents pay taxes that will fund the state aid payments.
Graziadei is a 30-year member of the board and plans to retire June 30 at the end of his current term. He said his mother, five siblings, wife and all of their children are graduates of Oriskany.
In March, district Superintendent Timothy Gaffney shared with the public his own letter addressing the issue. Along with that letter on the district’s website he also included several additional pages of documents. They include the original November 2022 notice from New York State Department of Education Senior Deputy Commissioner James Baldwin and also a statement from Oneida Nation Rep. Ray Halbritter, the founder of the Change the Mascot Campaign.
These documents can be found at www.oriskanycsd.org/Page/2152.
Gaffney’s message said, “We are very conscientious and respectful of the culture and history of the Oriskany community and the Oriskany Central School District. As we continue to review and analyze current and future guidelines and mandates issued by the New York State Department of Education, we will keep everyone apprised of the ongoing information and updates.”
As of that March 2 note, the district had not yet explored any changes in the mascot nor the logo, which is a Native American in full feathered headdress. Should — or when — that process begins, that information would be sent out to the community as soon as practical.
“Thank you for your support and understanding as we navigate through this change,” Gaffney concluded.
Graziadei said he feels the bullying and shame coming from “a few unelected officials in Albany” will go even further than the removal of the Redskins name and changing of the district’s mascot. He has heard talk that they might even have to purge all pictures, awards and trophies depicting and referencing the Redskins and its image.
He said although he understands that times are changing, this is taking the situation too far.
“To purge these awards and pictures would serve to erase over 100 years of our district’s proud history and students’ accomplishments by applying today’s standards to what was at one time chosen as the ultimate sign of honor and respect,” he said.
