NNDSB moving forward with planned name change for secondary school, petition launched against change

Near North District School Board has announced that it is moving forward with a name change for Chippewa Secondary School in North Bay, Ontario. While many graduates of the school still feel attached to the school name, NNDSB stated that “not all former and current students feel the same sense of pride. For many, the name of the school, its mascot and affiliated activities represent an appropriation of culture.” Resident Stephen Brown began a petition to reverse the decision and keep the name of the school as-is. The Sault Star reports that Brown also made a presentation to town hall asserting that NNDSB’s claims are inaccurate and that changing the name of the school will “do nothing to change [the] behaviour that needs to be called out and changed.” Former student Mukwa wrote a letter to the editor of Bay Today encouraging the change of the name because of the way it has been used in the past. “Anyone can get 2,000 signatures and a few First Nations that agree with keeping the name. It still doesn’t change the truth. No ‘Chippewa’ people live here,” wrote Mukwa.