Should Mass. High School Native American-Themed Mascots Be Renamed?
Yesterday, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled that the Washington Redskins’ name would no longer be protected under trademark, because it is “disparaging of Native Americans.’’
According to The Boston Herald, more than 40 Massachusetts high schools have Indian-themed mascots or names.
“Over the next few years, I think we’re going to see some movement,’’ Pete Sanfacon, who runs the New England Anti-Mascot Coalition, told The Herald. “There’s been a lot of discussion out there over the past few months that has come out of the Washington team’s nickname.’’
In recent years, the Herald said, Nauset Regional High School and Dedham High School both changed their Native American logos.
Here is a list of some high schools in Massachusetts with Indian-themed names name and suggestions for what they could be changed to:
– AMESBURY INDIANS
Change name to: Amesbury Nails
Why? Amesbury is said to be the site of the first nail factory in America.
– BARNSTABLE RED RAIDERS
Change name to: Barnstable Turtles
Why? The Barnstable Great Marsh is the home of five species of turtles that nest there in the summer.
– BRAINTREE WAMPS
Change name to: Braintree Revolutionaries
Why? John Quincy Adams , John Adams and John Hancock were born in Braintree, Mass.
– GRAFTON INDIANS
Change name to: Griffins
Why? It is a great mythical creature and it just sounds better.
– KING PHILIP REGIONAL WARRIORS
Change name to: Monarchs (as in the king and the butterfly)
Why? A king is a monarch and symbolizes power. A monarch butterfly has the stamina to travel between 1,200 and 2,800 miles from the US and Canada to Mexico.
– MASCONOMET REGIONAL CHIEFTAINS
Change name to: Aggies
Why? Topsfield is known for the Topsfield Fair, which started in 1818 to “promote and improve agricultural interests of farmers and others in Essex County.’’
– TEWKSBURY REDMEN
Change name to: Tornados
Why? In 1857 there was allegedly a tornado that destroyed some barns and fields in the town, but no people were killed.
– WAKEFIELD WARRIORS
Change name to: Flyers
Why? Wakefield is the site of the one of the oldest and largest model airplane toy manufacturers.
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