Natick High School drops Indian-themed sports nickname
Boston Herald–Associated Press
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
NATICK – The school committee in Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie's home town narrowly voted to stop using the nickname Redmen to refer to the school system's sports teams because the term can be construed as offensive to American Indians.
The committee voted 4-3 on Monday night to accept member Ted Wynne's motion that effective at the start of the 2008-09 school year "the Natick public schools shall cease the use of the team name Redmen or any other name, symbol or mascot that is based on or makes reference to race or ethnicity."
The vote was the culmination of three months of heated debate that carried into Monday night's meeting.
Dan Loudfoot, an American Indian from Boston, said Redmen is as offensive as other ethnic slurs.
"It's the same as the 'N' word," he said.
Natick Nipmuc Indian Council sachem Mary Anne Hendricks said the school's name had nothing to do with the athletic achievements of her grandson, a star in track and football at Natick High School.
"Redmen has to go," she said.
But those who supported keeping the name, including some who wore clothing featuring an Indian wearing a feathered headdress, said the nickname was part of the school system's tradition.
"To eliminate Redmen would not be in the best interest of the educational system," Natick resident Richard Perry said. "It's political correctness gone mad. Where does freedom of speech begin and where does it end? Political correctness is the beginning of the end. ACLU where are you?"
Flutie, who starred in football, basketball and baseball at Natick High School, won the Heisman at Boston College in 1984 before embarking on a 20-year pro career in the USFL, CFL and NFL.
The organization that oversees high school sports in Massachusetts discussed American Indian-themed nicknames and logos at a meeting last month, but did not rule on their use. Forty-six public high schools in Massachusetts have teams with names, logos, or mascots with Native American themes, according to the New England Anti-Mascot Coalition.