Vallejo High School Drops Apache Mascot
VALLEJO (CBS) - The days are numbered for the mascot of a Northern California high school.
The Vallejo Unified School District board voted Wednesday to drop Vallejo High School's long-running mascot, the Apache, after it received complaints from Native American activists.
"Indian peoples, like all peoples, are not mascots. We should not be categorized in sport or entertainment arena as a mascot," said Antonio Gonzales of American Indian Movement West. "Apache is a derogatory name, another name given to us by cowboys."
Photos: Strange And Unusual High School Mascots
The mascot will be officially retired when the class of 2014 graduates.
"It's like a family thing. We should be an Apache. That's us. And I want to graduate as an Apache. That's the thing to do," said Monique Porter.
The latest movement to remove mascots with Native American references gained momentum with the Washington Redskins. In fact, many refuse to call them that, instead referring to the "team in Washington."
In California there are more than 180 schools with similar mascots. There is a groundswell to change potentially offensive names, but it's not limited to Native Americans. In Coachella Valley there's outcry over an Arab mascot.
In 1972 Stanford changed its mascot from an Indian to a Tree.
A change in Vallejo could have a ripple effect. If the Apache name is dropped, it could influence schools in Albany, Fairfield, Pinole and Hercules with similar names.
A design team will come up with some ideas for a new mascot that will be decided voted on by staff and students.
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