BCLUW board mulls unified school mascot

Anytime two school districts join together, emotions run high on both sides. Both want to keep their identity and remember their history, and both want to feel that they’re still represented. As the 30-year anniversary of the first year of whole grade sharing (which eventually led to consolidation) between Beaman-Conrad-Liscomb and Union-Whitten nears, the BCLUW school pondered a touchy issue at Monday night’s regular meeting: is it finally time to switch to a unified, K-12 Comet mascot?
           
Kevin Barkema spoke on behalf of the sports boosters and went on the record to say that the group supports a unified mascot, which would mean that middle school students would no longer compete as the Cobras and wear green and white uniforms in sports. He added that it would save the district money on apparel and uniforms in the long run to have unified school colors and one mascot.
 
Gary Sams of Whitten, who was in attendance, commented that while it may be hard for some members of the Union and Whitten communities, the time has come to make the switch.
           
“I hate to see the Cobras go away by one token, but it’s been 25 years. I’ve sat (at sporting events) and heard so many people ask, ‘who are the Cobras?” he said. “I think we should be one from kindergarten to the end. We’ve been the Comets, and we are the Comets.” 
 
Read more in this week's Grundy Register.