School Lacrosse Team Cancels Game Over Rival's Redskins Name

[CreekDog]

Source: ABC News

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Mar 6, 2015, 5:19 PM ET
By CAROLYN THOMPSON Associated Press

A suburban school district with numerous Native American students on Friday cancelled a boys' lacrosse game against a district that's debating whether to do away with its Redskins nickname.

Akron School Superintendent Kevin Shanley said the decision to cancel the Akron Tigers' March 31 varsity game against the Lancaster Redskins was made in support of Native Americans who view the rival team's nickname as offensive.

Akron's campus is near the Tonawanda Band of Senecas' reservation. About 11 percent of students and the majority of the team's lacrosse players are Native American, the superintendent said.

...

"Over the past few days, we've been having some productive and enlightening conversations within our district," Shanley said, leading to the decision to cancel the non-league lacrosse game.

...

Supporters of the Lancaster Redskins mascot say it was not meant to be malicious and should be preserved as a source of pride in Lancaster sports teams.




Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/school-lacrosse-team-cancels-game-rivals-redskins-29452300

---

Nobody is obligated to participate in something that has a racially discriminatory or racially-stereotyping element in it.

[tularetom]

1. I agree with their decision, but

Didn't they know the nickname was offensive when they scheduled the game in the first place?

[CreekDog]

3. The article says that recent community activism on the topic led to the decision

[TerrapinFlyer]

2. If I was on the Redskins Team, I would vote to change the name... ASAP.

There is no "source of pride" in an offensive name.

Step it up Lancaster, do the right thing!

[Fred Sanders]

7. Maybe if some sports team changed their name to the "Rednecks" this byproduct of white privilege could be broken?

[Fumesucker]

10. Would "Crackers" do?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Crackers

[KamaAina]

4. One wonders if the Cowboys, Giants and Eagles will follow suit.

[Fred Sanders]

6. You forgot the sarcasm emoticon.

[KamaAina]

8. I thought the smiley face would do.

[LiberalFighter]

5. The Akron Tigers should rename their team when playing Lancaster

to the Akron Inquisitioners.

[CreekDog]

9. Why?

[Snow Leopard]

11. Popularity activism

Not sure it benefits anyone

[santroy79]

12. I only agree if the players on the team

voted to cancel the game.