Maine Indians urge high school to change nickname
- Details
- Parent Category: News
- Category: Social Issues & Criminal Justice
- Published: 24 April 2012
Sanford, Maine (AP) April 2012
A group of American Indians is urging officials in Sanford to change the local high school’s nickname, which they call offensive.
The Maine Indian Tribal State Commission and representatives of Maine tribes met with residents Wednesday to tell them the name “Redskins” has negative connotations.
They say it was used as a derogatory term when bounties were offered for killing Indians.
The Journal Tribune (http://bit.ly/I8jj0l ) reports that some of the 50 residents at the meeting say the name is a term of respect.
Commission Chairwoman Jamie Bissonette Lewey says she believes those people, but added it means something different to American Indians.
The school committee is scheduled to vote May 7 on whether to retire the nickname.
Sanford is the last Maine high school called the Redskins
A group of American Indians is urging officials in Sanford to change the local high school’s nickname, which they call offensive.
The Maine Indian Tribal State Commission and representatives of Maine tribes met with residents Wednesday to tell them the name “Redskins” has negative connotations.
They say it was used as a derogatory term when bounties were offered for killing Indians.
The Journal Tribune (http://bit.ly/I8jj0l ) reports that some of the 50 residents at the meeting say the name is a term of respect.
Commission Chairwoman Jamie Bissonette Lewey says she believes those people, but added it means something different to American Indians.
The school committee is scheduled to vote May 7 on whether to retire the nickname.
Sanford is the last Maine high school called the Redskins