California bans ‘Redskins’ as team name or mascot

Gov. Jerry Brown signed the ban into law on Sunday, marking a victory in a more than 50-year national campaign by Native Americans to remove race-based team names from schools and sports groups. But he said that the naming of public buildings was different and is “an issue quintessentially for local decision-makers.” The Redskins originated in Boston in 1932 and moved to the nation’s capital in 1937. Assemblyman Luis Alejo, D-Salinas, authored the bill and commended Brown for helping the state make history.

Only four public schools still use the name, including Tulare Union High south of Fresno. Now that the law has passed, state funding may help offset those costs, he said.

The school isn’t just defined by the mascot.

“Honestly, I don’t think they should change the name, unless the owner wanted to”, Trump said last week.

Seals said it’s important the students can choose a mascot tin which they feel pride.

“All of my family graduated through being a redskin”, said Logan Weatherby, a freshman football player at the school.

This wouldn’t even be an argument if the team was named, “The Washington Crackers”, in fact, that mascot wouldn’t have even made it past the boardroom and the person who thought of it would have been fired and probably banished from the country. “Together with our Board of Trustees, school community and our Tulare community we will seek their input to determine our new mascot”.

District Superintendent Sarah Koligian allowed, “We will adhere to the law as it is written”. “But that’s not the case”. These schools will get a grace period of a year and change.

The schools have until January 1, 2017, to comply with the measure.

“It was big with my family”, said Peavy who is now with the San Francisco Giants. “I find this victory to be a small progression in the acknowledgement of indigenous rights in California”.

The bill had been defeated in California four times since 2002 before being signed into law on Sunday. It was not clear how long Calaveras High has used the nickname and mascot.

The wording of this opens the door for anyone at any time now and in the future to use this act to force a school to change its school name and mascot.