‘Nobody wants this’: Opposition grows to renaming Chippewa Secondary School
The plan to rename a North Bay high school is receiving tons of backlash online.
As part of the consolidation process of the city’s secondary schools, the Near North District School Board is looking to rename Chippewa Secondary School.
The decision sparked outrage from some school alumni and the community.
“A lot of the community is dead set against the name change,” said alumni Stephen Brown.
Brown, who graduated from the school in 1985, started an online petition opposing the plan, gaining support from more than 2,600 people so far.
“It’s on Chippewa Street, by the Chippewa barracks, beside Chippewa Creek,” he said.
“There’s no disrespect whatsoever.”
The Near North District School Board began looking at a new name for the school in 2017 when plans were made to consolidate the city’s public secondary schools.
On April 12, the committee will shortlist five names and will put them out for feedback before a new name is chosen.
“What people need to realize is that the lived realities of people in the system right now is not honouring and representing all in the classroom,” said school board chair Erika Lougheed.
“Our No. 1 focus is student learning, well-being and achievement.”
Despite the petition, it appears the board will not be backing down. In December, trustees voted unanimously to rename the school. Lougheed said a detailed report outlined that there are students, both past and present, who have faced harm and racism and the idea behind the re-naming is to create a “welcoming school for all shareholders.”
“What I do hope is that people considering signing the petition will take the time to read the detailed report that was put out,” she said.
“It highlights in detail the harm that was done. If we have some students that aren’t represented here and some students where the name causes harm, then we are not doing the job of the Near North District School Board.”
Nipissing First Nation Chief Scott McLeod doesn’t personally see the name as offensive in nature.
NO MALICE INTENDED
“I don’t think there was malice intended, other than lack of knowledge of language. I see it as history as our culture and language was misinterpreted,” McLeod said.
“I’m more indifferent about the name Chippewa.”
McLeod says the term Chippewa is actually a misnomer for First Nations who reside in the area.
“We aren’t Chippewa. We aren’t Ojibwa. We aren’t Algonquin. We are Nishnabe,” he said.
“There are other bigger things that can be done in terms of reconciliation than changing the name from Chippewa to something else.”
Brown said he’s organizing a demonstration in April calling on the board to scrap the name-changing process.
“Listen to the people, nobody wants this to change,” he said.
Along with the school's name, its logo, mascot and uniforms will be changed as soon as September.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.