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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCalif. high school will keep 'Arabs' nickname
THERMAL, Calif. School officials in Southern California say the "Arabs" name is here to stay, but the divisive costumed mascot that represents them may be changing.
The Coachella Valley Unified School District held a special meeting Friday night to address the recent dustup over the Coachella Valley High School Arabs and their bearded, snarling mascot who wears a headscarf.
Superintendent Darryl Adams said changing the "Arabs" name used since the 1920s by the school in this town east of Palm Springs is off the table, the Desert Sun reported.
"It is a name we will keep," Adams said during the board meeting. ...................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://news.msn.com/us/calif-school-to-keep-arabs-name-may-change-mascot
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)uppityperson
(115,677 posts)"A mascot chosen to show reverence and honor for the customs of prideful Middle Eastern peoples throughout our region"?
WTF?
Igel
(35,320 posts)Not usually a positive term.
Unless in the right context, if applied to me--and especially to my ethnic group--I'd be offended. Unless we really were prideful.
tblue37
(65,408 posts)superintendent, feel comfortable about defending a team called the "Africans" or the "Blackskins," especially if the mascot happened to be the embodiment of one of the most insulting stereotypes thrown up by a racist culture?
I do not understand how people can be so darned oblivious. Sure, it's tradition, but so was segregation, and before that, so were slavery and, in parts of the country, lynching.
Here is the superintendent (Sorry about the size of this image. I don't know how to reduce images! ):