A view of Goshen High School in Goshen, Indiana. Photo from Save Our Mascot / Facebook

The public school board in Goshen, Indiana, voted 5 to 2 on Monday to eliminate their "Indian" mascot by January 1, 2016.

The Goshen Community Schools have been known as the "Redskins" for nearly 90 years. Administrators and students will now be picking a new mascot after the board heard about the offensive nature of the current name.

“Please don’t tell us how to feel or argue we are being too sensitive,” parent Rochelle Hershberger said at a lengthy hearing on Monday night, The Elkhart Tribune reported. “Don't use the R-word to my face. I am not your mascot, my family is not your mascot and my children are not your mascot. I have a name. I am worthy of being seen as a person.”

The high school in Goshen at one point removed its wooden "Indian" statue from the gymnasium, Indian Country Today reported in June 2013. But it was put back a week later after local outcry, ICT said.

The board's vote came as school officials in another Indiana community grapple with their "Redskins" mascot. The North Side High School in Fort Wayne might get rid of the name but a decision hasn't been made.

Get the Story:
Search for Goshen Redskins replacement to begin immediately with new task force (The Elkart Truth 7/29)
Goshen Redskins mascot to be retired Jan. 1, 2016 (The Elkart Truth 7/28)
Goshen gets rid of Redskins mascot (WNDU 7/28)
Redskins mascot no more in Goshen (The South Bend Tribune 7/28)
Goshen School Board members vote 5-2 to drop Redskins name (The Goshen News 7/28)
Yet another U.S. high school is dropping its ‘Redskins’ moniker (The Washington Post 7/28)

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