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Houston school board bars race-based team names, mascots
Source: Reuters
Houston school board bars race-based team names, mascots
BY ANDREA LORENZ
HOUSTON Thu Jan 16, 2014 9:36pm EST
(Reuters) - The Houston Independent School District on Thursday banned team names and mascots that depict Native American culture, responding to growing public sentiment that such race-based references are offensive.
The school district is one of the largest in the United States, so its decision could influence other school systems that are reconsidering team and mascot names that may be viewed as inappropriate.
The Houston school board unanimously approved, with one abstention, a new policy that prohibits the use of race-based team names and mascots.
The move will change the mascots of the Lamar High School Redskins, the Hamilton Middle School Indians, the Welch Middle School Warriors and the Westbury High School Rebels. The "Rebel" name has been seen as a reference to the Confederacy during the Civil War.
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BY ANDREA LORENZ
HOUSTON Thu Jan 16, 2014 9:36pm EST
(Reuters) - The Houston Independent School District on Thursday banned team names and mascots that depict Native American culture, responding to growing public sentiment that such race-based references are offensive.
The school district is one of the largest in the United States, so its decision could influence other school systems that are reconsidering team and mascot names that may be viewed as inappropriate.
The Houston school board unanimously approved, with one abstention, a new policy that prohibits the use of race-based team names and mascots.
The move will change the mascots of the Lamar High School Redskins, the Hamilton Middle School Indians, the Welch Middle School Warriors and the Westbury High School Rebels. The "Rebel" name has been seen as a reference to the Confederacy during the Civil War.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/17/us-usa-mascots-texas-idUSBREA0G04920140117