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In recent years sport organizations like the Little League International— which oversees more than 2 million young baseball and softball players, the NCAA, and the NFL's Washington Redskins all have made moves to avoid racially insensitive team names, mascots, nicknames, and imaginary.
“And yet, more than 60 schools in Pennsylvania use Native peoples or references for their team name or mascot,” said Pennsylvania State Representative Chris Rabb, a Democrat from Philadelphia. In fact, “Neshaminy High School and Sayre Area High School, both have team names that use an epithet so vile it is akin to the n-word for African Americans.”
“Just imagine, if it's your child, and it's your child's heritage that's being ridiculed. This [practice] is not only accepted but there are literal team names that indoctrinate that into school cultures and into society in ways that are deeply problematic and hurtful to youth," Rabb said to cbs21.
Several studies have shown that the imaginary Rabb is referring to is among the leading causes of suicide amongst Indigenous teens Indigenous— which are communities that already have significantly higher rates of suicide than non-Native communities in North America.
One central Pennsylvania school district notably removed its controversial mascot, following public outcry, as reported by PennLive.
The Susquehanna Township School District officially removed its logo which showcased a depiction of an Indigenous person wearing traditional head garments in front of the letter “S," on May 3, 2021, PennLive's report states.
“As a commonwealth borne of a colony that would not have existed without the Penn’s Treaty at Shackamaxon in 1683 between British immigrants and the Lenape Turtle Clan, Pennsylvania must commit itself to ending the extended era of collective disregard for indigenous heritage and egregious cultural appropriation,” Rabb said in a memo he circulated about the legislation he intends to introduce.
You can read more about Representative Chris Rabb's proposal here.
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