Student Newspaper Votes To Stop Publishing Redskins Nickname

By Todd Quinones

NESHAMINY, Pa., (CBS) -- A school newspaper in Bucks County is taking a stand on a mascot controversy.

The paper is joining some others in saying that it's time for Neshaminy High School to lose its team nickname, the Redskins.

The Neshaminy Redskins football team is having a great year -- even if the school nickname is not.

"You can't take any other racial slur out of the dictionary and say, well, not here, it's not a racial slur here, so we can say that word here," Donna Boyle said.

Boyle says her son goes to Neshaminy High School and she's part Cherokee.

"My father grew up in Oklahoma and there were signs on the door 'no dogs or Indians allowed'," Boyle said.

For her, there's no doubt the use of the name Redskins is a racial slur. She even filed a formal complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to try to get Neshaminy to stop using it. It's an idea that didn't have a whole lot of support at the football game on Friday night.

"We've been the Redskins for a very long time. It shouldn't be changed because we've had it forever, it's our tradition," a student said.

"I'm part Native American. I don't really find it disrespectful," another student said.

Reed Hennesy is a sports editor for the Neshaminy's student newspaper. He's one of 14 on the editorial board who argue the name Redskins shouldn't be used at all in the school newspaper.

"There's people out there, they get hurt by it, and I'm not writing a sports article or a news article to hurt anyone, I'm just writing it to cover the football team," Hennesy said.

If the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission decides to hold a hearing on this matter, it could force Neshaminy to change its nickname. Phone calls to the district have not been returned.