This reptile is close to becoming new Canton H.S. mascot

The Plymouth-Canton Community Schools’ board of education will vote on whether or not the Cobras will become the new Canton High School mascot.
Canton High School’s 50-year-old Chief mascot is on the verge of being put to rest by the world’s longest venomous snake.
Following a three-month process that — according to the committee selected to recommend a replacement for Canton’s longstanding Chief mascot — included “thousands” of student voters, Cobras will be recommended as the school’s next mascot.
Over 300 potential mascot ideas were reportedly received by the committee (a Freedom of Information Act request revealed a majority of respondents wanted to retain Chiefs as the mascot), with the list of candidates narrowed down to 10 and then three.
Cardinals and Coyotes (the other two finalists along with Cobras) didn’t have enough bite for the voters, based on the committee’s final recommendation that will be presented to the board of education for a vote on Tuesday, Nov. 28.
Mascot change’s origins
The idea to change the Canton High School mascot and logo was sparked in February of 2021 when a Salem student delivered a 20-minute presentation during a virtual board of education meeting (the meeting was virtual because COVID-19 meeting restrictions were still in place), stating that — based on research and interviews she conducted — the Chiefs mascot and logo (an arrowhead) were demeaning to Native Americans.

Several months after the presentation, the board of education created a committee made up of 16 community members to study the proposal and report back with a recommendation for the school board to consider.
The committee recommended retiring the Chiefs nickname and imagery, although the recommendation was not unanimous.
Based on the experience of other school districts that rebranded their mascot/logo, the process will be costly.
Expensive endeavor
For instance, Okemos (Mich.) Public Schools’ recent decision to change its nickname from Chieftains to Wolves (replacing names and imagery on scoreboards, gym floors and uniforms, to name a few items) cost over $400,000.
The agenda item for Tuesday’s board of education meeting to “Consider Approval of a Resolution to Adopt a New Mascot for Canton High School (First Reading)” is item F, immediately following citizens comments.
Residents whose children attend Plymouth-Canton Community Schools and are against the changing of the mascot — due largely to a community-wide survey that showed 70% of residents do not want “Chiefs” replaced — has formed a group dedicated to recalling three members of the Plymouth/Canton School Board who voted for the mascot change.
Tuesday’s meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the P-CCS office located at 454 S. Harvey St. in Plymouth.