The Redskins' days in Cooperstown are numbered.

The Cooperstown school board, in conflict about the matter, recently discussed a letter from Commissioner of Education Richard Mills sent to all school board presidents and superintendents of public schools.

"Some time ago," the letter begins, "I directed department staff to study the use of Native American mascots by public schools. I would like to share with you the results of that work."

"Our review confirmed that the use of Native American symbols is part of time-honored traditions in some of our communities, and that there are deeply felt, albeit conflicting, ideas about them. Some members of these communities believe that mascots honor or pay tribute to Native Americans and their culture. However, most Native Americans appear to find the portrayal by others of their treasured cultural and religious symbols disparaging and disrespectful. Many others who have looked at this issue concur."

"After careful thought and consideration," wrote Mills, "I have concluded that the use of Native American symbols or depictions as mascots can become a barrier to building a safe and nurturing school community."

"It sounds to me pre-ordained what's supposed to happen here," board member Anthony Scalici said. "It hasn't been approached at the local level. Very, very broad conclusions have been drawn. I have a problem with this. I just have a hard time with it coming at us in this manner. We need to talk to people in the school, students, alumni, and the community. Just how do they feel about it?"

Board member Keith Additon shared Scalici's dislike of Mills' methodology. "I don't like the way this came down either," he said.

School board president Kelly Branigan spelled out the reality of the situation.

"Schools boards charged with this responsibility don't really have an option," she said.

Dr. Margaret Young, who is currently serving the final stretch of a three term, nine-year tenure on the board, said, "I'm in the lovely position of going off the board soon. I'm glad that the commissioner has taken a position of authority on this issue. It was never the intent to engage in prejudicial behavior, but imagine if what they were asking instead is that we remove the confederate flag from our stationary. Think about how the Native Americans feel about it. It is a symbol unkind to the people it represents."

"Are we going to have to change the name of Otsego Lake and the Mohawk Valley now?" Scalici countered.

"There is a clear difference between those names and Redskins," Young said. "It's important to show kindness toward a diversity of people. The board has a responsibility to our students to do this."

Mills speared this line of thought with a direct hit in his letter.

"Some argue that such mascots honor Native Americans. Most Native Americans do not share that view," he wrote.

District superintendent Mary Jo McPhail said that Mills' study and consequent contact with public schools came in response to complaints by Native Americans. She recommended to the board that they refer the matter to their public relations committee, composed of Mark Rathbun, Keith Additon and Cathe Ellsworth so that they can construct a plan to represent the information to the community, get feedback and report back to the board.

"Our mascot could be a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964," said McPhail. "This is not strictly a local matter. It's a state responsibility."

For the sake of community discussion, Mills furnished districts with four questions on which to focus consideration.

Do Native Americans and non-Native Americans perceive the mascot differently? Is there a significant difference between how the mascot may have been intended and how it should be interpreted? How should an organization respond if its well-intentioned actions unintentionally offend a member of the group's religious or ethnic beliefs? Are there other symbols that represent the school's values that could be used in place of the existing mascot?

Branigan said later that there is a varied opinion in the community regarding changing the mascot.

"Some say that this is the way it's always been and we should keep it. Others are more sympathetic to Native American feelings. The best way to handle it is to maintain an open line of communication so that people feel like a part of the process of changing the mascot. We're hoping that the symbol won't have to be changed."

The symbol, Branigan said, is a copy of the statue in Lakefront Park called Indian Hunting.

"Not hunting for Indians," Branigan said, "but an actual Indian hunting."

Board member Cathe Ellsworth said that the statue, "a handsome piece," is an entrenched part of Cooperstown culture, but that it's replica of a statue in New York City.

"It's an Indian and a dog and a weapon," she said. "Would you pick a mascot like that in this day and age? Of course not."

There's already been a change. Ellsworth said, to indicate that something's just not right about using the mascot. She said that it already doesn't appear on sports uniforms, but it's difficult to make the leap into eradicating it altogether.

"Every ethnic group has a derogatory name that you just wouldn't use as mascot. It just doesn't work in this day and age. People don't want it to change. But life is change," said Ellsworth.

Branigan said she has done some research and found that many other area schools will be affected by the commissioner's request.