Iroquois Ridge High School in Oakville will be undergoing a renaming process after the Halton District School Board (HDSB) received an anonymous complaint that the word “Iroquois” is a “colonial settler term for the Haudenosaunee and seen as a derogatory term,” reports National Post. HDSB manager of communications and engagement Heather Francey said that “to avoid perpetuating further harm,” trustees would not be discussing the school’s current name. Some community members are opposing the decision and questioning a perceived lack of consultation with the school community and the local Indigenous community. Several Haudenosaunee community members spoke about their perspective on the name, including Elder Grandmother Renee Thomas-Hill, who said she understood that the word referred to a kind of messenger. “I would really prefer that they keep their name because that’s history. It talks about the land,” said Thomas-Hill. “When you say Iroquois, because it’s not just one word. It’s a way of life.” According to Village Report, a petition has been started arguing for the school to keep its name.
