By Todd Starnes/TWITTER
A Utah school district decided not to select a cougar as the mascot of a new high school partly because school officials and some parents believed the word is disrespectful to women.
Students in the Canyons School District named the cougar their top choice to become the mascot of the new Corner Canyon High School. The school is expected to open in 2013.
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However, district officials overrode the student vote after complaints that that the word “cougar” is offensive and derogatory towards women.
“We heard from folks who were worried about the connotation of the word ‘cougar’ as it pertains to the current vernacular — in a derogatory manner,” Jennifer Toomer-Cook, a spokesperson for the school district told Fox News & Commentary.
In pop culture, the term “cougar” refers to a sexually aggressive middle-aged woman who attracts younger men.
However, the cougar is also a large mountain cat — that also happens to be the mascot for Brigham Young University — along with three other Utah high schools.
Toomer-Cook said that was the chief reason the district decided to override the students’ vote — even though it was the highest vote-getter out of more than 1,000 suggestions.
Instead, school officials decided to select the “Chargers” as the new mascot. Toomer-Cook said they wanted to have a unique mascot name.
“Instead of going to a place where people were seeing something potentially divisive, go to a mascot that could more easily unify,” she said. “No other Utah school has Chargers as its mascot. The board members were also saying this presents an image of strength and captures a little bit of the area’s culture.”
The controversy caught some local residents by surprise.
“To me, a mascot is usually an animal – I mean, I don’t know how to even respond to that,” local football coach Bill Cosper told the Salt Lake Tribune. “In all my years here, or in all of sports, that’s never been brought up.”
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Really? So does this mean that we are going to see a bunch of lawsuits to change the schools that already have cougar as their mascots? Like BYU and WSU. So we are going to see a whole lot of middle aged (yes I can say that cause I too am middle age) woman storming the gates to get to the younger men ?(better stay with the seniors ladies this is a high school we are talking about) Really come on, my God people!!!!! (Yes I can say my God it isn't using the name in vain)
L A M E! Go Coug's, lick the Beav's!
Maybe they could call themselves "The Rocks." Oh wait, that would insult another group of people, as in "Dumb as a bag of rocks."
Are you kidding me? Hm… Well, so long as we're making strides not of offend ANYONE on the planet ever no matter how easily offended they are, then couldn't we suggest that a "Charger" is someone who puts too much debt on their credit card? Aren't we offending people who like to shop? Shopoholics? Isn't that a disease? Using the "charger" makes fun of people with a disorder…so offensive. I'm offended. And I don't even like to shop that much. How dare they choose a "charger" for their mascot? It only makes me feel belittled! COME ON, school administrators. There will be people standing in every corner waiting to feel attacked. Stop catering to the stupidity!
Who in the hell would even bring that up to begin with! I mean common on! You are in Utah. Who in the hell would even consider "POP CULTURE" to begin with! Whoever brought this shit and issue up is the one who needs mental help! You know what when you look up the definition of "COUGAR" it states a beautiful animal! Not too mention my mascot is "WILDCATS" that does not mean I am going around being wild and whoever would bring that up is an IDIOT!
I always thought a Cougar was a big Cat! Get real, I can't imagine that anyone with any intelligence will have their feelings hurt! This is a school right? Demonstrate some intelligence then!
Ugh! That is so silly! A recent phrase interfearing with the ACTUAL NAME of an animal?!? People are weird!
Okay, I know it's asking a lot, but what about a common sense approach? The word "cougar" used to only mean a mountain lion, but frequent use of the word to describe sexually aggressive, middle-aged women has changed the socially accepted definition. So we (as a society) need to "take back" the word, to use it more often when referring to a mountain lion as opposed to only using the word when referring to middle-aged women. Accepting it as a negative label and refusing to use it in any other context only exacerbates the situation. (I know, me and my silly, irrational ideas.)
Oh, I see my high school is listed by my name!
BTW – that's the Tom C. Clark COUGARS. If anyone finds that mascot is offensive and would like it to request it be changed, bite me.
Maybe they could call themselves "The Rocks." Oh wait, that would insult another group of people, as in "Dumb as a bag of rocks. What about the people in Pullman, WA?
I grew up in the school district that this new Canyon district was carved out of–the more affluent Eastern bench were tired of their taxes being diluted. I think the real reason they vetoed the name is more because of elitism, not wanting a common, generic mascot, and less to do with its implied meaning. My highschool mascot was the beetdigger.
Does anyone consider that the term "Cougars" as it is applied to women is derogatory and more offensive than a mascot?
Seriously? No – you're kidding, right? Once again, adults putting a negative spin on a bunch of kids who no doubt had ZERO thoughts about what single women in their 40's might be doing when they wanted the COUGAR (a fierce animal. duhhh!) to be their school mascot. My son's attend a Christian school who's mascot is the Cougars…I sure hope they don't find out what a cougar "really" is! Political correctness at it's "best" – Thanks adults!
Actually, making a majestic cougar a mascot is insulting to cats!
Despite the "Teachable Moment" as a lesson in Democracy (because what we need is more youth "indoctrinated" by adults, that voting counts for nothing (pun intended) :/)… this is like saying the Utah "Jazz" is marginalizing other genres of music… and as a musician, if "Cougar" is "offensive" I would say the "Jazz" identification, should be parsed down to the banal, Utah "Music"…
I have lost all faith in the ability of people to discern between silly overreaction and real offenses. No wonder people think public schools have gone overboard in their attempts at PC. And I am a liberal saying this…shame on the administration and the over-the-top parents who don't have enough "real" work to do…
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! ALL OF THESE PC. OVERLORDS REALLY NEED TO GET A LIFE!
I'm sure they are the same "nut cases" that protest about nativity scenes in public settings.
Why doesn't the school board come out and admit they didn't like Cougars as the school mascot, but wanted Chargers instead. So they decided to come up with this lame excuse to overide the students vote.
Why doesn't the school board come out and admit they didn't like Cougars as the school mascot, but wanted Chargers instead. So they decided to come up with this lame excuse to overide the students vote.
This story is a lie. Shame on Fox for reporting it this way! The reason that the school does not want to use the cougar as the mascot is that there is a rivalry between two colleges in Utah and one of them has the cougar already as their mascot and the same colors as well. They felt it would be to divisive to pick one mascot from one college over the mascot of the other college. I am disappointed in this reporter!
The students should just call their teams Cougars. Print up shirts off campus with Cougars and cheer "Go Cougars". Exercise some freedom of speech and self expression. It may still say Chargers in the program but all you would hear is "Cougars" in the stands. Just some outright defiance to absurity.
I have no words to describe how utterly stupid this school board sounds! No wonder kids can't spell!
Don't call them the cats…It would also offend those pussies… lol lol
Can't use the chargers. It would offend the people on Death Row.
Canit call them the Kings. It would offend Elvis and Marty fans.
Can't call them the gorillas. It would offend me.
Can't call them the Gunners. Would offend the anti gun movement.
How about the "TINKER BELLES"?
WOW! No confidence women.
Hope that school doesn't like cats. lol
How about the "TINKER BELLES". Don't think that would offend any one?
What about the soft-core porn, Prime Time show on ABC, "Cougar Town"? Is that offensive to women too?
Will they think "chargers" is derogatory towards women when someone decides women use charge cards, or worse, that the same "alleged" cougars may be "chargers" of their male victims/prey?
Is this a joke? I never thought "Go Cougars" meant women over 40 pounce on 20-something men…
LOL!! Yep, it is a real news story…Thanks again for my birthday card, that was so perfect I still love the thing (I'm never taking it down!!!)
Go Northview Cougars! ( Our mascot and proud of it!!!)
Will they think "chargers" is derogatory towards women when someone decides women use charge cards, or worse, that the same "alleged" cougars may be "chargers" of their male victims/prey?
Maybe they should be the Beavers since Cougars is so offensive. Hunters trapped them long before the west was settled.
I can't believe this is what our world has come to. Completely absurd. The people responsible need a colonoscopy to see what's going on in their mind.
Just ridiculous
So instead the school names themselves after medieval knights who rammed lances into foot soldiers killing them in the process because that is better than naming a team after a woman who is hot and like to seduce young men. Also from my experience woman who consider themselves "Cougars" don't find the term offensive. That would would like a man who seduces alot of woman being offended at being called a ladies man or stud. Sometimes people for the sake of education do the dumbest things.
Things were not like this when we were kids. wtf!!!
I can’t help myself, I think dating cougars is the best. I love the fact that they are much more experienced in life and I love talking to and getting to know them. Also they don’t play the head games that younger women, i.e. 20 somthings do. I find most have a no nonsense take no BS attitudes.
Thank you!
Steve