California passes law to ban schools from using ‘Redskins’ for teams
The Washington Redskins may be intent on keep their team name just the way it is, but the state of California is not going to let its public schools use the team name for any sport or team mascot.
California recently became the first state to pass a law banning public schools from using the term “Redskins” for a team name or mascot. The measure will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2017, and four high schools that already use the term will have to eventually change their mascot.
The bill had previously been defeated four times since 2002, but it passed this time with the help of Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter and National Congress of American Indians Executive Director Jackie Pata, who are leaders for the advocacy group Change the Mascot.
“This landmark legislation eliminating the R-word in California schools clearly demonstrates that this issue is not going away, and that opposition to the Washington team on this issue is only intensifying,” Halbritter and Pata said in a statement after the measure passed. “The NFL should act immediately to press the team to change the name.”
Despite Redskins owner Daniel Snyder’s stubbornness, it should only be a matter of time before the Washington NFL team has a new name. An overwhelming amount of people feel the same was as this famous actor and comedian. The pressure will only continue to build.
