In the fall of 2020, the Marion Independent School District's school board voted to stop using the Indians nickname. The end of the Indian era will be July 31st, 2021. It was an emotional decision that had many supporters and detractors in the community.

The school district received a letter last September from the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi, also known as the Meskwaki Tribe, asking the school to change the name of their mascot. The school district conducted a survey, and over 1800 students, staff, parents, and alumni took part. 63% wanted to keep the Indians nickname, with 28% voting to change. 9% had no preference. In the end, the school board voted 5-2 to change the nickname.

Yesterday, I got an email from the school district asking me to vote on my final choice for the new Marion mascot. Fortunately, there isn't a duck to be found. The Marion Mallards was a popular rumor that spread late last year. But in my honest opinion, I really like all three of the finalists. Here are the choices.

  • Red Wolves
  • Red Storm
  • Mavericks

My 12-year-old daughter Carly informed me that she voted for the Mavericks. She clearly is a sucker for alliteration. But what will my official vote be for? I like the Red Wolves, but really, how many wolves are native to Iowa? Not many. My vote will be for the Marion Red Storm. Maybe I still have the derecho on my mind, but the word Storm implies that you aren't going to like what you're about to face. And I can't wait to see how the students have fun with the term 'storm warning' in Marion.

I vote Red Storm.

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