![A Utah school district named a new high school mascot the Phoenix, but parents objected over its plural [Image credit: Pixabay/CC0]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/11/15/660x290/b_502x220x82/a-utah-school-district-named-a-new-high-school-mascot-the-phoenix-but-parents-objected-over-its-plural-image-credit-pixabaycc0_1690807.jpg "A Utah school district named a new high school mascot the Phoenix, but parents objected over its plural [Image credit: Pixabay/CC0]")
The new Farmington High School in Utah is set to open in 2018 and the Davis School District Board of Education recently named its mascot the Phoenix. However, on trying out a few cheers, using the plural of the name, parents of students of the new school quickly realized it sounded kind of naughty. Now one parent has petitioned for the school board to change the mascot’s name to something more suitable.
Phoenix in plural sounds too close to masculine body part
When it was announced by the Davis School District Board of Education that the mascot for the Farmington High School was to be the Phoenix, parents initially had no objection.
It's a strong name. However, Kyle Fraughton, whose child will be attending the new school, said he and some neighbors decided to practice a few cheers, just for fun. As they all chanted the words “Go Phoenices!” – basically the plural of the word Phoenix – they realized they had a problem. Pronounced “fee-nuh-sees,” it sounded far too close to the word “penises” for comfort.
The Salt Lake Tribune quotes Richard Swanson, the principal of Farmington High School, as saying that the mascot name would not be pluralized but would remain as “The Phoenix.” However, Fraughton disagrees, saying that keeping the name singular would have little effect on rival students at sports events.
@BrookeandJubal @JubalFlagg @hilariousjose @Brookefox Here is a laser story candidate for you! (This is right next to my hometown, I promise that not all people in Utah are weirdos!) https://t.co/78fKZtzeef
— Go Utes!! (@Ben_In_Utah) November 15, 2017
Parent petitions for new mascot name
Fraughton said on his Change.org petition that they were horrified to hear what the plural of Phoenix sounds like in a cheer, saying the phonetics were way too close to a word referencing male genitalia.He said many people would find this kind of thing really funny and all it would take would be one bright spark to catch before the story went viral.
However, he did add that it’s already too late, as word has gone around in the community and they are already being labeled the “Phoenices.”
The concerned parent said he was worried that something that could be innocent banter between the new high school and its rivals during games could end up being really vulgar. Fraughton said he can already envisage an endless barrage of crude references directed at their children relating to the male anatomy, whenever the Phoenices participate in sports events against other schools.
He added that it takes little imagination to work out just how vulgar the situation could get.
Fraughton went on to say he is sure the school district doesn’t want to be responsible for their children being bullied over the name of their school mascot. He went on to plead with the school district to change the name to something more in line with their community, and less of a “potentially dangerous choice.”
As of this writing, the Change.org petition has received 3,132 signatures of its 5,000 signature goal. It is hoped the school district will use another popular name for the mascot, without potential plurality problems.
