Wednesday, December 7th the Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 Board of Education made a decision that will be remembered for years to come – a unanimous vote to retain the Indian name and image.
While there are certain conditions attached to that decision and the possibility still looms of future discussions and debates over the mascot, the issue was essentially laid to rest.
Board member David Colburn ultimately didn’t like the decision he made, but said it wasn’t the right time to “reimage” Manhattan High School. ” I think the image and the name need to be changed, but I also believe the community wasn’t ready for that; if we voted to change it would be severe repercussions.”
Colburn said that the decision by the Board was a positive one in that it would “keep the topic going” and get people on both sides of the argument working together to possibly make some other change in the future.
One MHS student who was disappointed in the Board’s decision, was Colburn’s daughter – 16 year old Lily Colburn. “As a child of someone on the Board, I understand that compromises needed to be made.”
But what about the legacy of Frank Prentup – wasn’t that important to the student body where over 80% voted in favor of retaining the mascot, image and name?
“I had never heard of Frank Prentup,” said 18 year old Angie Moss, Lily Colburn, 16 year old Kathy Burton, and 18 year old Erick Echegaray all in choral-like unison.
“An entire culture is being used as a mascot…I’m disappointed,” said Moss.
Many, if not most of the attendees anxiously awaiting the Board’s decision Wednesday night were thrilled with the news that they would remain the Manhattan High Indians.
Lindsey Coltharp, mother of MHS students said she was “ecstatic.”
“I was very surprised with the decision, I was expecting a split decision like we had the last time in came in front of the Board (2001)…there is still room for change down the line, and I look forward to what the committee could come up with for those changes, but for now we are still Manhattan High Indians, so go MHS,” said Coltharp.
Similarly, 16 year old Caitlyn French was pleased with the Board’s decision.
“I completely support it, I want to keep our mascot, said French but she wasn’t fully on board with the creation of the committee to further research the trouble or solution surrounding the Indian. “We just took all this time and effort to just decide if we wanted to keep it and now they’re just going back and they’re just dragging the situation out…if they keep holding on and keep carrying on with it, it’s going to get confusing, people are not going to understand and they’re just going to give up pretty much.”
Board members noted that the Indian is only used for name and image purposes, there is no official “mascot” for Manhattan High School. For now, the issue has been laid to rest – Manhattan High will remain the Indians.