Citing racial intolerance and an unsafe environment for their children, educators and tribal leaders from the Pleasant Point reservation have canceled a planned trip to Wiscasset High School Dec. 10. The decision comes in response to comments made during a Nov. 15 Wiscasset committee meeting to examine the school’s continued use of the term and symbol “Redskin.”
“At this point, I don’t want to expose our kids to that level of racial intolerance. When you’re speaking in a public capacity there are respected norms of adult discussion. I feel the comments from a few of the committee members were racially tinged and therefore unacceptable to the process. Wiscasset needs to deal directly with their climate of racism,” said Maine Indian Tribal State Commission member Jamie Bissonette Lewey.
Lewey singled out comments made by committee member Eugene Stover and RSU#12 chairman Thom Birmingham who both expressed concern over the continued input from Tribal leaders into what they consider a “local” issue.
During the meeting, a November trip by WHS student council members to Pleasant Point drew the ire of Stover who said he was not in favor of “sending our kids to hear their rhetoric and I’m not in favor of them coming here.”
The committee also acknowledged the emotional nature of the issue and explored a set of ground rules to govern conduct and discourse as they move forward.
WHS educator Deb Pooler, who had organized the Pleasant Point trip after being approached by student council co-president Paige Teel, said she was very disappointed in the decision by Pleasant Point leaders but would continue her efforts to create an “apolitical” atmosphere between the two sets of students.
“I’m very disappointed but I think we should try and continue the dialogue that was established in November. It goes beyond one single issue and is really about kids navigating their way toward adulthood, ” said Pooler.
The committee had selected Pleasant Point educator Denise Altavater to serve as a representative from the Passamaquoddy tribe but she has since resigned.
“I don’t feel that the committee has any interest or respect for what I could contribute. I’m beyond disappointed. The comments were irresponsible and as role models, unacceptable,” said Altavater.
The December trip was to be an extension of a conflict resolution workshop the two groups started in November.
During the daylong workshop, WHS student council members participated in a variety of small group discussions with Pleasant Point students designed to foster a constructive dialogue. While the subject of a mascot was discussed, Pooler and other educators described the trip as a “cultural exchange” and not driven by one single issue or theme.
Mascot committee chairman and WHS principal Matt Carlson was unable to comment but did confirm that Pleasant Point leaders had cancelled the December trip. According to Pooler, efforts to retain the goodwill between the students will continue regardless of politics.
“The kids from both communities are wonderful. Hopefully this doesn’t hurt the efforts both have made to understand themselves and each other,” said Pooler.
