Burien’s Sylvester Middle School has used a logo and mascot featuring ‘Sylvester the Cat’ (pictured above) from the Warner Brothers’ Looney Toons cartoon for 20-30 years, but this was a violation of copyright.
This year, school district and staff decided it was time to finally change the logo, despite no official request to do so.
“There was no formal cease and desist letter, but copy centers would call and would not reproduce posters and flyers with the school logo due to the violation,” Highline Public Schools Communications Manager Mandi LeCompte told The B-Town Blog.
A survey regarding a logo redesign was sent out to staff, students, family and alumni in January, 2018.
There were 316 responses, 64% of which were from students, 15% from staff, 13% from families, 6% from teachers and student alumni and the rest from the community. The survey asked for ideas and gauged the concept of replacing the Tomcat mascot with another figure or animal.
Changing the mascot to a Wildcat was the top suggestion – here’s the new logo:
A committee consisting of Kim Glusick, Gil Parsons, Jill Mudge, Judie Tice, Breck Ivy and Mary Richards met with the district communications department to facilitate a design that represented Sylvester Middle School. They met many times as the new logo was conceptualized, created and finalized.
“The new logo stays true to Sylvester Middle School’s history by incorporating the same colors and keeping the figure to that of a feline,” LeCompte added. “The updated logo has a look and feel that is unique to Sylvester Middle School. It is fierce, inquisitive and alert.”
The copyrighted Sylvester the Cat mascot appeared in 103 cartoons – only behind Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and Daffy Duck. Three of his cartoons won Academy Awards, the most for any starring a Looney Tunes character, according to Wikipedia.
The new Wildcats logo was revealed in June to families, staff and students, and is being used on the school’s website.
No word yet on the exact whereabouts of the Sylvester the Cat mascot rooftop ornaments that had to be removed…]]>
