California bill would ban 'Redskins' as school team name or mascot

Source: LA Times

Public schools in California would have to phase out the use of the term “Redskins” for their athletic team name or mascot under a bill advanced Tuesday by a state Assembly panel based on concern that the term is derogatory to Native Americans.

The California Racial Mascots Act would bar the use of the name by public schools beginning Jan. 1. But to address cost issues, the measure would allow schools to continue to use sports and band uniforms and other materials bearing the name as long as they select a new name for future use and do not buy all new uniforms with the old name. Schools can replace up to 20% of the uniforms with the old name until Jan, 1, 2019.

"There is obviously a lack of respect when we allow teams to brand themselves with racial slurs," said Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D-Watsonville), the bill’s author. “The R-word was once used to describe Native American scalps sold for bounty and in today's society it has become widely recognized as a racial slur to promote discrimination like the N-word."

Alejo noted that in 1972, Stanford switched from the Indians to the Cardinal. “Other universities and hundreds of high schools have followed suit since then,” he said.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-california-bill-ban-redskins-nickname-school-teams-20150420-story.html