Oneida Nation praises school for eliminating Redskins mascot

Friday, March 8, 2013  

The Oneida Nation praised a public school in New York for retiring its "Redskins" mascot.

Cooperstown Central School will stop using the name on June 30. Students pushed for the change, citing the offensive nature of "Redskins."

"The students and administration at Cooperstown Central School have provided a model for the rest of the country that says we can still honor our schools and our sports teams without dishonoring our country’s races, cultures and shared heritage," Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter said in a press release.

The tribe has pledged to donate money to offset the cost of eliminating the mascot.

Get the Story:
Cooperstown to retire Redskins (The Oneonta Daily Star 3/7)
Cooperstown to retire Redskins nickname June 30 (The Utica Observer-Dispatch 3/8)

NPR: Oneida Nation helps school eliminate 'Redskins' mascot (02/27)
Ray Halbritter: Helping schools to eliminate 'Indian' mascots (2/25)