Mississauga High School to Change Racially Insensitive Uniforms

Better late than never! 

The aboriginal community has longed claimed that sports teams using their likeness in branding is offensive, if not flat out racist. 

Their claims are not falling on deaf ears. 

According to a recent article in The Globe and Mail, two Peel high schools — one in Mississauga and one in Brampton — “will be removing native imagery and names from their sports teams by the fall.” 

Port Credit Secondary School will remove an image of two yellow feathers on their gym floor and also remove the image of a chief’s head from their uniforms.  

Chinguacousy Secondary School will change their name from the Chiefs to something “that does not include any elements that reflect aboriginal culture.” 

The Peel District School Board tasked an equity and inclusion advisory committee along with a group of aboriginal leaders to review all sports team names and logos in the region. 

Only two high schools had a name or logo that was an issue. 

The Globe reports that Bill Morrison, of the Métis Nation of Ontario, said the feathers on the gym floor of Port Credit Secondary School had ‘ceremonial significance’ and had to be removed. The newspaper said that Morrison praised the changes, adding that they speak to “an educational awareness, as opposed to being politically motivated.” 

Hopefully this movement will trickle down to other regions and countries.  

Controversial teams such as the NFL’s Washington Redskins and the MLB’s Cleveland Indians have long been the subject of heated debates. Both logos depict an aboriginal chief with red skin and a feather in his hair.  

Because many aboriginal people believe the imagery mocks or misrepresents their heritage, changes are being made throughout the country to respect their voices.