Multiple schools have mascot controversies

Teton High School Redskins

Maggie Fryman, Staff Writer

Multiple complaints were made at Teton High School about how the mascot, the redskins could make their students or children look bad. Many parents were complaining that the mascot should be changed but others were stating that that is how people recognize the school and the students. The school system decided to change it to something temporary, that was neutral. “We are Tenton” was put into place, after the timber wolf mascot was put into place, the name was suddenly changed to ¨The Howler.” The school had a school newspaper that they called ¨The War Cry.” Many say that the term redskins is racial, they wanted to change the name of the newspaper to show that they were ready for change, and wanted everything neutral. Students of the school, either wanted it changed and others definitely didn´t. One of the students of Teton High School said, ¨You can’t keep something because it is a tradition that doesn’t mean it is right.¨ I understand that just because it is history or tradition you cannot keep it, although a lot of people do not see it like that. I respect the school system putting everyone’s opinions into consideration. In other schools, they had mascot problems as well. Neshaminy High Schools’ mascot was and still is a redskin. A Native American parent had been attending school board meetings and urging for the board to change the mascot. Donna Boyle, the parent had filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Rights Commission, a state agency that deals with human discrimination. She said she believed the name “Redskins” and the logo of Neshaminy High School was damaging to her son’s education. Gillian McGoldrick, who was a junior in 2013 stated ¨We had a legitimate debate going back and forth. At one point, someone told me it was pretty much the equivalent of the n-word for Native American people. I got up and switched sides.¨