Editor: It saddens me to hear the opposition and excuses being made by those who oppose the timely review of the Crusaders moniker. As a student in the late ‘90s, I never considered the deeper meaning, and honestly I never considered it before last week.
The reality, however, is that a crusader has a specific meaning in popular culture, and that meaning is further reinforced by the image Canmore Collegiate High School has typically used to represent the name (in my time it was a knight in a tunic with a prominent Catholic cross).
There is no question that moniker refers to a Catholic religious war against Muslims. It is irrelevant whether people have previously expressed offence at the name or image. No one is accusing us past students of being hateful or ignorant. It is great that so many of my fellow alumni look back fondly on the glory of our high school days, but this isn’t about us.
I can understand how a Muslim, Catholic, First Nations, LGBTQ2, or other student at CCHS today might find the symbol offensive; and for that reason, I think it’s important for them to have this conversation.
Ultimately, the current student body, teachers and administration are the carriers of the banner today, and this should be their choice to make.
Choosing to retire the Crusader image and adopt a new team icon does not diminish the positive memories and experiences of past students.
It’s a small, but important step to help ensure all students feel welcome and represented.
Good on Principal Chris Rogers for starting the conversation.
Trevor Reeder,
Canmore
