KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A group of Kaukauna High School students are raising concerns regarding the statue of the school’s mascot, the Galloping Ghost.
Some students feel the statue could be misinterpreted, and requested to have the statue removed from the front of the school.
However, some alumni say the statue is an important part of the school’s history, and want it to stay.
For some, the Galloping Ghost statue is a sign of pride.
“Signage should be put up telling our visitors about the roots from the past 80 years and that’s all that should be done,” Kaukauna alumni Joe Hietpas said.
For others, the statue is a concern.
Some students say it could create confusion because it could be misconstrued as a racist symbol.
Kaukauna High School principal Chris McDaniel said, “So we had a group of students that came and actually met with our school board in January with just the main concerns of, does the statue represent the values of the Kaukauna High School?”
The Galloping Ghost statue has called the front of Kaukauna High School home since 1999.
“So it’s been out there for over 20 years as really to show our mascot which is very unique the Galloping Ghost, and it’s part of our tradition,” McDaniel said.
A group of Kaukauna alumni expressed their feelings about the statue at a school board meeting on Monday.
“The mascot should not be relocated, because that would eventually lead to getting rid of it, getting rid of the ghost on sports teams uniforms, and not allowing the rider to deliver the football at the beginning of the game,” Hietpas said.
“It should stay where it is and that this should be put to rest that it doesn’t come up every couple of years,” Kaukauna alumni Jean Promer said.
McDaniel says the students do not have any interest in changing the mascot.
“It’s not about the Galloping Ghost itself, it’s just how the depiction of the statue could maybe be misconstrued as something that is more hateful than obviously what’s intended,” McDaniel said.
While the item was not on the board’s agenda on Monday, McDaniel says the board is considering options, like keeping the statue as is, enhancing the statue with signage, or relocating the statue away from the front entrance of the high school.
Kaukauna’s alumni council and the Kaukauna Rotary Club commissioned the statue.
The Superintendent noted in the school board meeting that he plans to resolve this matter before he leaves the district on June 30th.
