Should Meridian Middle School Change Their Mascot?

The Cleveland Indians have officially changed their mascot to the "Guardians". Just down the street, Meridian Middle School's mascot is "The Chief." Should this change?

You probably heard the news over the weekend, that the Cleveland Indians have officially changed their name to the Cleveland "Guardians". In a press release, it was stated the goal of this was to "pay homage to the Guardians of Traffic statues near Progressive Field in Cleveland, located on the Hope Memorial Bridge. Cleveland owner Paul Dolan noted Friday he hopes the name Guardians helps "unify our fans and city.", according to Sports Illustrated.

Last year, Meridian High School, home of the "Warriors" changed their logo, removing the Native American inspired headdress, but kept the name. Now, Meridian Middle School just down the street is the home of "The Chief", and their official website says this mascot is "representing strength, loyalty and a commitment to learning." In the ever-evolving world that we're living in, should this be changed or updated? I'm not claiming it should be or that this is inherently bad by any means, I'm just posing the question. Would this be going too far? Does this name honor any Native American history we have in Idaho? Or is this making a mockery of Native American culture?

The world is ever-changing and what's socially acceptable evolves with it. Our culture is a living, breathing, growing thing and I think we as a society try our best to grow with it. Sometimes we go too far, sometimes we miss the mark but as long as we're trying to grow in the right direction, it's better for society. So what do you think of Meridian Middle School's mascot? Again, I'm not saying it should change, but what do you think?

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