School District selects new logo

On April 12, 2004 the Osseo-Fairchild School Board took the final step toward adopting the use of a Ho-Chunk image as the School Districts’ official logo.  By a vote of 4-3 School Board members approved the new image, which will not be used on athletic uniforms but may be used on clothing and other items.  A proposed amendment that would have required the policy be subject to review and approval by the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal, whose members consist of 11 Wisconsin tribes and one Michigan tribe, failed on a 3-4 vote.  Defeated by the same margin was an amendment that would have eliminated the alleged stereotypical imagery.  High School Principal Steve Glocke stated the new logo use policy, which has been approved by the Board, will become effective immediately.  While he stated that there will be some flexibility in the use of the logo, the District has issued the following policy:

It shall be the policy of the Osseo-Fairchild School District to use the Chieftain name and logo to preserve and foster the story of the Native American people who lived in the area and established proud cultures and traditions.  Many family members of these tribes continue to call this area “home.”

The name of the School District, its teams and student groups shall be “Chieftains.”  The official Osseo-Fairchild School District “Chieftain Logo” shall be a Ho-Chunk Indianhead with a headdress.

The athletic “letters” remain the overlapping orange and black “OF.”  The “letters” should not be used in a way rthat indicates they are being used in place of the official logo.

The three logo and “OF” on the High School gymnasium north wall shall be replaced with “Home of the Chieftains” with the Chieftain logo alongside.  The Chieftain logo shall be painted on wood and then mounted on the wall.  Similarly, this will also be painted on the basketball scorers’ table, Osseo-Fairchild football field grandstand and baseball field scoreboard.

The Chieftain logo shall not be displayed on sports uniforms and warm-ups, nor displayed on the uniforms of other school teams and groups.  “Osseo-Fairchild” shall be displayed on uniforms and “Chieftains” shall be displayed on warm-ups.  On team attire where a logo might normally be displayed due to space limitations, varying combinations of the overlapping, orange and black “OF” may be displayed, such as on football helmets.

In situations where a team may want to have fun with something unique or something directly related to a specific activity, varying combinations of the overlapping, orange and black “OF”, “track shoes,” or other symbols of the specific activity may be used.

The Chieftain logo and “Chieftains” may be used on athletic jackets, caps, sweatshirts, t-shirts and other wearing apparel.  If a logo is used on such wearing apparel, the logo used shall be the Chieftain logo and may not be modified from the official drawing.  The wearing apparel and merchandise sold in the school store shall include apparel and merchandise with the Chieftain logo.

The “Chieftains” nickname shall be used on school correspondence, classroom and other presentation material, the school web site, school and sports banners, school newspapers and other areas not specifically addressed in this policy.  In these areas, where a logo would normally be used and the Chieftain logo is not specified, an overlapping orange and black “OF” may be used.

Display and history of logo

The drawing or painting of the Chieftain logo, along with a narrative describing the local Native American history and the history of the logo shall be mounted on a wall in the “Commons,” in a matted frame approximately 4’x 6’ in size, with a layout.  The narrative shall be written by students asked to research the local Ho-Chunk history and heritage and interview local Ho-Chunk residents.  The history is to extend over the past 75 years.  The interviewees will be Ho-Chunk residents who have lived in the Osseo-Fairchild School District for 10 years or longer and Ho-Chunk students who have attended Osseo-Fairchild Schools for five or more years.

A drawing or painting of the Fairchild Dragon logo, as it existed prior to the Osseo-Fairchild merger, along with a narrative describing the history of the Fairchild School and its logo shall be mounted on a wall in the “Commons,” in a matted frame approximately 4’x 6’ in size.  The narrative shall be written by students asked to research the Fairchild School history and heritage, and interview Fairchild residents, who were Fairchild students or had children who were Fairchild students, prior to the Merger of Osseo-Fairchild.  The Fairchild Dragon logo, as it existed prior to the merger, shall be painted on the Fairchild Elementary School gymnasium wall.

Each of the above logo histories will be 1-2 pages in length.  A joint administration, community and School Board committee to form recommendations to the School Board will review the above logo histories.

When the High School gymnasium floor is repainted the “OF” shall be replaced with “Osseo-Fairchild Chieftains.”

Educating outside agencies

A Chieftain Ambassador Committee will be formed with members form the community, administration, student body and School Board.  These ambassadors, in pairs or in larger groups, will visit each school in our conference to educate them on this logo use policy and ask their help in preventing and controlling all actions that may be viewed as being disrespectful to Native Americans or go beyond the bounds of good sportsmanship and healthy competition.  These ambassadors shall visit suppliers of athletic paraphernalia and clothing to educate them on this logo policy and ask that any Osseo-Fairchild items that include a log include the official Chieftain logo.

Opponents not done

Despite the School Board’s approval of the Ho-Chunk image, local residents Harvey and Carol Gunderson remain determined to fight against its adoption.  Harvey Gunderson stated that they and others are currently preparing to file a federal lawsuit that prevents the adoption of the new logo.  Convinced that the new logo “harms the education of American Indian children, creates a hostile environment and does not enable American Indian children to have equal use of public accommodations,” Harvey Gunderson said that he and others opposed to the new image are currently gathering affidavits from people who believe the use of the logo creates a negative image of the community.