Mohawk Valley Times

On Wednesday, March 22, the Fonda-Fultonville Central School District was notified by the Indigenous Mascot Advisory Panel that our effort to retain the Braves’ name has been declined. 

As a school community, we have followed the guidelines and procedures set forth by the New York State Education Department and have attempted to do everything possible to retain the name Braves. The district has asked if there is another path for approval and we have been informed that the Advisory Panel is the governing body that issues the final decision.

The Board of Education would like to thank the Fonda-Fultonville community, teachers, students, faculty, and staff for being considerate during this process. We also want to thank Dr. Porter, as a Mohawk leader and community partner, for his continued support and willingness to work with us as we move forward through this process.  

An incorrect report was aired by a local media outlet that shared that the district had already secured approval for the use of the Braves’ name. Ultimately, that was not correct and a final decision has now been provided by the Indigenous Mascot Advisory Panel on the matter.

In the coming weeks, the state will be releasing answers to many of the questions we still have as a district.  Once these answers are provided, we will set up a community forum to respond to questions, create a stakeholder committee, and discuss a plan moving forward.

Original source can be found here.