June 28, 2020
A message from the Lane Tech Alumni Association Board of Directors
Lane Tech boasts tens of thousands of alumni representing five generations, an astounding range of ethnic and racial backgrounds, all gender identities and the full spectrum of perspectives and belief systems that come with a population as large and diverse as ours. We are not a monolith.
The Lane Tech Alumni Association is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the whole community of Lane. Our mission is not political, nor is it intended to directly affect or influence any school policy or curriculum decisions, and while all graduates are Lane Tech alumni, not all alumni are members of the Lane Tech Alumni Association.
Like you, our Board and staff are struggling with this issue and have a diverse set of personal opinions. We recognize that retiring the symbol as a mascot will be a cause for celebration for some alumni, and a source of grief for others. At this time in our country, and with the passage of Illinois House Bill 4783 on the horizon, any school mascot that uses Native American imagery will be rendered unlawful in the near future.
The process for renaming the mascot will proceed and be managed by the Local School Council with final approval by the CPS Network leadership and Board. It is the same process used for changing the names of schools under CPS Policy 302.2, and will include two community input sessions. Contacts for the LSC can be found on the school’s website.
In the meantime, the LTAA will continue to pursue our mission whether Lane Tech has a mascot or not, because we really do believe that in gratitude for what the school has done for us, we are charged with living out our motto and remembering the honor of Lane.