In a William S. Hart Union High School District board meeting, a recent survey revealed that a majority of both students and staff at Hart High School support keeping the controversial Indians mascot.

Hart High School principal Jason d’Autremont revealed the results of a survey done in March during a regular governing Hart District board meeting Wednesday, revealing that a majority of both Hart students and staff support keeping the current Indians mascot, despite a recent push from the community due to concerns of racial insensitivity.

“A concern has been shared by community members regarding the propriety of the Hart Indian mascot,” said Mike Kuhlman, Superintendent of the Hart District. “Our board has taken a proactive and thoughtful approach to gather input from the community.”

According to a staff survey done March 2, d’Autremont revealed that out of the total staff of 180 people, 128 staff members were surveyed. Of that, 61 staff members, or approximately 50 percent, voted to keep the controversial mascot. Another 47 staff members, 38 percent, voted to change it and another 15 members, 12 percent, had no preference.

D’Autremont also revealed that in a student survey completed March 12, 49 percent of William S. Hart High School students voted to keep the mascot, 26 percent voted to change it and 25 percent had no preference.

This study was done with 1,343 Hart students out of the total 2,100, or 64 percent of the school’s student population.

In other efforts to combat the controversial situation, officials at the Hart District have scheduled a board study session to learn about the history of the mascot to address the concerns that have been expressed by the community.

The Hart District Board has also welcomed tribal leader Rudy Ortega from the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians to participate during a previous board meeting to share his perspective as someone whose ancestors are indigenous to the Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding lands.

No action has been taken to change the mascot at this time, according to Hart District officials.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.