Glastonbury police are investigating an incident in which a punch was thrown at a school board member who previously voted to replace the high school’s Tomahawks mascot.
No charges have been filed.
Video of the incident at a Board of Education meeting shows a member of the public getting in the face of board member Ray McFall.
McFall then puts his hand on the man, apparently to move him back. The man then punches McFall.
The meeting was held after the school board received a petition from people upset that the school system dropped Glastonbury High School’s Tomahawks mascot.
Glastonbury resident Jon Forrest attended the meeting and said the incident resulted from individual behavior.
“Phonetically, people love the name Tomahawks,” said Forrest, who helped organize the petition drive to bring back the mascot. “It’s embedded in the community, and I think people see it as a chance to revere those of Native American heritage.”
But some Native Americans disagree, saying American Indian-themed mascots tend to promote stereotypes.
They argue that their culture should not be lumped in with other mascots like bears or lions or tigers.
Several Connecticut school districts have recently reviewed their Native American mascots.
A provision in the state budget pulls slot revenue funding from towns with schools that have Native American mascots.
