Editorial: Aragon students and alumni should be included in mascot discussion with administration

Members of Equity ASAP, which stands for Aragon Student Action Panel, recently presented to the Aragon faculty after a social media and paper campaign to change the school mascot. Equity ASAP is a student group that has been fighting to get rid of the Don. In that meeting, the group spoke about how they believe the mascot conflicts with Aragon values and presented possible paths forward. The editors of The Aragon Outlook encourage the Aragon administration to approach the discussion about possibly changing the school mascot by including both students and alumni.

Before a voting process or any procedures toward changing the mascot can commence, every student and interested alumni should have the chance to participate in the discussion. The mascot should only be changed if its advocates and critics are well-informed about the motivations and issues surrounding it. For students, discussions within classes or smaller groups would increase the quality and quantity of perspectives weighing into the debate. This would also ensure that all students are able to properly voice their opinions and participate in the decision, rather than stand on the sidelines or make uneducated votes. Presentations and discussions of the issue could be prompted during live announcements. This would create an opportunity to practice and model respectful dialog about an issue.

“The mascot should only be changed if its advocates and critics are well-informed about the issue”

To ensure fair consideration of both sides of the possible change, presentations should include reasons in favor and against changing the mascot. Reasons for changing the mascot could include the potentially elitist connotations of the Don, as it was an honorific used to address a high-class individual in Spanish society. Comparably, in 2007, The Aragon Aristocrat was changed to The Aragon Outlook, as the name “aristocrat” was deemed overtly classist and didn’t represent the publication’s values. A similar argument could be made for changing the Don. However, critics argue that changing the mascot would irrevocably alter the identity of the school. Some are also concerned about the potential costs of changing the mascot and whether that funding could instead go back into programs that benefit students, such as performing arts, elective classes and sports equipment.

Regarding the voting process, changing the mascot should give everyone, including students, faculty and interested alumni, the opportunity to vote on the issue. Interested alumni can participate in a community forum set up by the school and then be sent a ballot to vote. Ensuring that everyone is given an equal chance to provide input on the debate through discussion and voting is crucial for representation and also gives an introduction on what it is like to vote on larger issues. Because the issue of changing the mascot affects both the school and local community, a decision in favor of changing the mascot should require a supermajority of the votes. This would ensure that a distinct majority of the school makes the decision, which avoids hinging the decision on a small margin and causing a large part of the student body to be unhappy with the decision.

“Transparency from the school will only become more important as the process continues”

If it is decided that changes are to be implemented, the administration should be transparent about plans and funding and should present a detailed and feasible timeline. While changes cannot and will not happen overnight, concrete action should be planned and communicated. For example, students and faculty could propose new mascots and vote on the most popular suggestions through a ranked-choice voting system to ensure that the process continues to include everyone in the decision making process. Changes will take a while to be fully carried out, but transparency about what will be changed and what is already being changed is important.

Changing the school mascot will undoubtedly be a lengthy endeavor, and transparency from the school will only become more important as the decision-making process continues. The editors of The Aragon Outlook call on the Aragon administration to continue communicating about the possible change of the school mascot and to strive to include all members of the Aragon community in the process.