In the front hallway of Woodrow Wilson High School is a 4-by-4 tile mosaic of the Woodrow Wildcat logo, which had been used at Woodrow for decades at the time the mosaic was built in 1991.
Now, it seems, the school will be forced to phase out the old logo, thanks to the University of Arizona. Woodrow is hoping, however, it won’t be forced to rip up the tile mosaic as well.
About a year ago, Principal Kyle Richardson received a cease and desist letter from an attorney acting on behalf of the University of Arizona. The letter noted that the Woodrow Wilson logo is almost identical to the University of Arizona’s logo, which the UofA has copyrights to. Though the letter threatened legal action, there was never any litigation, says DISD spokesperson Jon Dahlander.
Instead, Woodrow has agreed to “phase out” the logo, although in actuality, the logo hasn’t been used much in the last few years. There are some old spirit shirts and paraphernalia that boast the mark, but mostly the floor mosaic has been the main concern.
At this point, it looks like Woodrow will be allowed to keep the floors intact, but nothing has been signed yet, Dahlander says. It could take anywhere from days to months before anything is officially settled.
