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Mar 11, 2008 11:00 pm US/Pacific
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Daly City School Urged To Drop Indian Mascot
DALY CITY (CBS 5) ―
A shy 15-year old student of Navajo and Chickasaw descent is quietly urging her high school to rid of itself of a mascot she finds offensive: the "Indian."
Jefferson High School in Daly City sports a giant portrait of a Native American chief at the front of campus. The school newspaper is called the "Tom Tom." The yearbook is the "Totem Pole." Jefferson High School has fielded teams called "The Indians" for 85 years.
"Mascots are usually animals," said Rachel Sedberry, a sophomore. "It's like they're considering us as animals."
Rachel recently argued her case in front of a panel of teaches who overwhelmingly voted in favor of changing the mascot. The principal told CBS 5 that doesn't make it a done deal.
Lou Silberman said he is going to reach out to alumni and, if he sees enough agreement with the teachers, he will present the issue to the school board for consideration.
Many students told CBS 5 they don't want to change the mascot because they don't consider it a demeaning caricature.
"It's not a person with red skin with a tomahawk going around scalping people," said Rick Salas, a senior.
Jefferson is by no means the only high school that has a Native American mascot. But there is a precedent for change.
The Washington Redskins of the NFL and the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball are high profile examples of teams that have resisted changing mascots.
The Stanford Cardinal changed from the Stanford Indians. Fremont High School in Sunnyvale is one of several high schools to also recently change mascots from the Indians.
Marie Califano, a history teacher at Jefferson High, said she and other teachers have urged administrators to change the mascot for years.
"The Native Americans have been very clear," said Califano. "They find this degrading and insulting. What is the problem?"
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