kepdawg
12-06-2007, 01:09 PM
Lewisville school shares same name, similar logo as Killian's beer 11:14 AM CT
11:47 AM CST on Thursday, December 6, 2007
By JAY PARSONS and MARISSA ALANIS / The Dallas Morning News
The two Killians share a name, a mustang mascot and similar logos. One is a new Lewisville middle school. The other is an old Irish beer.
“It’s highly coincidental,” Lewisville ISD spokesman Dean Tackett said.
Killian Middle School, which opened in August, is named after retired school administrator Michael Killian. A seventh-grader there noticed the oddity when she saw a six-pack of Killian’s Irish Red lager in her parents’ refrigerator.
“She looked at it and said, ‘Hey, that’s the logo of our school,’.” parent Jim Ross said. “They’ve got a beer logo as their school mascot. It’s unbelievable.”
George Killian Lett first brewed the beer in 1864. His descendants still live in Ireland. Jenny Volanakis, a spokeswoman for Coors – which owns Killian’s Irish Red – said the company never heard of the middle school.
She said: “We are not affiliated with the school and never would be.”
Killian Middle School students picked the mustang as their mascot among 14 choices in a vote earlier this year. Other options included the warriors, titans, patriots, colts, cyclones and coyotes.
With the mascot chosen, a teacher then created the logo. Like the mustang on the beer casing, the school’s logo crops the horse into a left-facing profile cut off at the neck.
The school colored its mascot blue, while the beer uses gold. The school’s horse also has slightly longer mane, different shading and a lower tilt of the head. Nonetheless, Mr. Ross said the school erred.
“The fact that they jumped on the bandwagon of a beer company when they’re so down on drinking, it’s ludicrous,” Mr. Ross said. “Who was dumb enough not to look into it?”
Killian principal Alan Cassel referred questions to Mr. Tackett, who said administrators were unaware of the similarities. No one has complained to the school, he said.
“Everyone knows who the school’s named after,” Mr. Tackett said. “Does it really make a difference? I don’t know. It’s a pretty long stretch to me. Certainly we’re not there to sell Killian’s beer.”
Mr. Tackett said the school district “obviously … doesn’t want any reference to alcohol at any campus.”
Still, school officials don’t believe the logo promotes drinking and would not push for a quick switch, Mr. Tackett said. It’d be up to Mr. Cassel whether to survey parents and consider a change.
Mr. Tackett said the school’s namesake, Dr. Killian, does not drink alcohol. Dr. Killian, who began working for the Lewisville district in 1982, retired in June as the deputy superintendent. He could not be reached for comment.
Superintendent Jerry Roy declined to comment through Mr. Tackett.
Parents interviewed at the school said they were struck by the similarities when shown pictures of the two logos.
“Wow,” parent April Berry said. “It bothers me a little bit now that I’ve seen it, especially because middle school kids are starting to understand what alcohol is and all that stuff.”
Several parents said they wouldn’t demand a change but would support a new mascot.
“If it’s for a good cause, why not?” said parent Michelle De La Cruz.
LINK (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/120707dnmetlogo.72c37d5d.html)
Beer
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/12-07/1207logo.jpg
School
http://www.lisd.net/schools/killian/Logos/Killianmustang3dsmallerthum.jpg
11:47 AM CST on Thursday, December 6, 2007
By JAY PARSONS and MARISSA ALANIS / The Dallas Morning News
The two Killians share a name, a mustang mascot and similar logos. One is a new Lewisville middle school. The other is an old Irish beer.
“It’s highly coincidental,” Lewisville ISD spokesman Dean Tackett said.
Killian Middle School, which opened in August, is named after retired school administrator Michael Killian. A seventh-grader there noticed the oddity when she saw a six-pack of Killian’s Irish Red lager in her parents’ refrigerator.
“She looked at it and said, ‘Hey, that’s the logo of our school,’.” parent Jim Ross said. “They’ve got a beer logo as their school mascot. It’s unbelievable.”
George Killian Lett first brewed the beer in 1864. His descendants still live in Ireland. Jenny Volanakis, a spokeswoman for Coors – which owns Killian’s Irish Red – said the company never heard of the middle school.
She said: “We are not affiliated with the school and never would be.”
Killian Middle School students picked the mustang as their mascot among 14 choices in a vote earlier this year. Other options included the warriors, titans, patriots, colts, cyclones and coyotes.
With the mascot chosen, a teacher then created the logo. Like the mustang on the beer casing, the school’s logo crops the horse into a left-facing profile cut off at the neck.
The school colored its mascot blue, while the beer uses gold. The school’s horse also has slightly longer mane, different shading and a lower tilt of the head. Nonetheless, Mr. Ross said the school erred.
“The fact that they jumped on the bandwagon of a beer company when they’re so down on drinking, it’s ludicrous,” Mr. Ross said. “Who was dumb enough not to look into it?”
Killian principal Alan Cassel referred questions to Mr. Tackett, who said administrators were unaware of the similarities. No one has complained to the school, he said.
“Everyone knows who the school’s named after,” Mr. Tackett said. “Does it really make a difference? I don’t know. It’s a pretty long stretch to me. Certainly we’re not there to sell Killian’s beer.”
Mr. Tackett said the school district “obviously … doesn’t want any reference to alcohol at any campus.”
Still, school officials don’t believe the logo promotes drinking and would not push for a quick switch, Mr. Tackett said. It’d be up to Mr. Cassel whether to survey parents and consider a change.
Mr. Tackett said the school’s namesake, Dr. Killian, does not drink alcohol. Dr. Killian, who began working for the Lewisville district in 1982, retired in June as the deputy superintendent. He could not be reached for comment.
Superintendent Jerry Roy declined to comment through Mr. Tackett.
Parents interviewed at the school said they were struck by the similarities when shown pictures of the two logos.
“Wow,” parent April Berry said. “It bothers me a little bit now that I’ve seen it, especially because middle school kids are starting to understand what alcohol is and all that stuff.”
Several parents said they wouldn’t demand a change but would support a new mascot.
“If it’s for a good cause, why not?” said parent Michelle De La Cruz.
LINK (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/120707dnmetlogo.72c37d5d.html)
Beer
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/12-07/1207logo.jpg
School
http://www.lisd.net/schools/killian/Logos/Killianmustang3dsmallerthum.jpg