California to Ban Indian Mascots?

A bill before the Legislature would ban public schools from using mascots that reference Indians (excluding schools on reservations), reports CNN. The state would also set up a $1 million fund to aid schools in transitioning to new mascots (safe suggestion: “The Turnips”). About 100 schools would be forced to change their team names and mascots were the bill passed.

As has often been the case, most American Indians seem to be against the change. David Yeagley, a Comanche and adjunct professor at the University of Oklahoma, wonders about the future of Indian mascots. “There are 11 states with Indian names, and endless streets, rivers, towns and counties that have Indian names,” he told CNN. “Are they going to remove that, too? Where does this ethnic cleansing end?”