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SCSD Board of Education tables Indigenous Peoples Day name change resolution

Kennedy Rose | Asst. News Editor

The resolution to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day was tabled until next year.

By Kennedy Rose

The Syracuse City School District’s Board of Education on Wednesday tabled a resolution, 6-1, to officially recognize Indigenous Peoples Day rather than Columbus Day.

Board members cited a need for community discussion on the issue. The board will consider the resolution again in the second quarter of 2018, as the district draws up the 2018-19 school year calendar, Board of Education President Derrick Dorsey said.

Dorsey said he supported the resolution but felt it was important to table the motion until the BOE has more conversations with the community. Other board members agreed and said they need to ensure the resolution is inclusive.

“We want to get folks in the room to talk to about this and find the common ground,” Dorsey said.

The district observed a combination of Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day this year as a celebration of both indigenous peoples and Italian-American heritage.



Katie Sojewicz, the board’s commissioner, said she strongly supports the resolution and was the only commissioner to vote against tabling the measure.

“I think we have a revisionist version of history right now that I don’t think includes everyone and hasn’t included everyone for years, so I just wanted to be very clear that I don’t believe that we should table this,” Sojewicz said.

Several people in the packed BOE room applauded. More than 80 people attended the meeting.

The SCSD would recognize Indigenous Peoples Day on the official district calendar beginning in the 2018-19 school year if the resolution is passed in the future.

Dorsey said people opposed to the adoption of Indigenous Peoples Day need to hear the painful stories of people who were hurt by Columbus Day.

At an Indigenous Peoples Day rally, held in downtown Syracuse on Monday, organizers urged attendees to go to the school board meeting to show support for the name change.

“We’re not saying we’re postponing it indefinitely or it’s going to be off the table,” Dorsey said. “We’re going to revisit this.”





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