Education

Miami Nation stays out of public school mascot debate in Indiana






An Indian head logo at North Side High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Photo from Save the North Side Redskin Mascot / Facebook

Public school officials in Fort Wayne, Indiana, are looking to drop a local high school's "Redskins" mascot.

The school board held a meeting on Monday night to hear from the public. Only one or two people spoke in favor of keeping the offensive name at the North Side High School, according to news reports, while a few more called for its elimination.

"The fact is, it is a racially derogatory term," said Chad Thompson, a professor who has worked with the Miami Nation on language recovery efforts, The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel reported.

Many tribal members live in Fort Wayne and the surrounding area. But the tribe isn't taking a position on the mascot at this time, the News-Sentinel reported.

The school hasn't made a decision on the mascot but will take more public input after the fall term stars, the paper said.

Get the Story:
People speak for and against changing North Side High School nickname (The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel 7/28)
Views on Redskins get heard (The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette 7/28)

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