'Change the mascot': Calif. to ban athletic 'Redskins' amid racial controversy
US News
‘Change the mascot’: Calif. to ban athletic 'Redskins’ amid racial controversy
California will ban public schools from naming their sports teams “Redskins,” a name seen as a slur against Native Americans. Gov. Jerry Brown’s decision to sign a bill ending the use of “Redskins” comes amid controversy around the country over the racial implications of team names, display of the Confederate flag and the naming of public places. Advocates for Native Americans welcomed the decision to ban the term “Redskins.” California is the first state in the nation to enact a statewide ban on the term, although individual school districts, including those of Houston, Texas, and Madison, Wis., have already done so. The move is especially timely as the U.S. observes Columbus Day on Monday, where there has been a renewed push for Indigenous Peoples Day to carry the sentiment of past decades’ protests against Columbus.
The most populous state in the country has now taken a stand against the use of this insidious slur in its schools.
Change the Mascot, a group that campaigns against the use of the nickname on behalf of Native American tribes and others
Efforts have been previously made for Washington Redskins owner, Dan Snyder, to change his team’s controversial name. The controversy spilled over into the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Candidate Jeb Bush said the name of the Washington Redskins football team is not offensive to Native Americans. Bills have been filed in Congress to force a change, and Native American groups have organized protests for years to force the franchise to change the team name from a term that’s viewed by many as racially offensive.
