Tuesday, July 20, 1999
Anderson High to stay Redskins
Board refuses to budge on name
BY CHRISTINE WOLFF
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ANDERSON TOWNSHIP — Anderson High School will keep its Redskins nickname, endorsed Monday night by a unanimous vote of the Forest Hills Board of Education.
The board voted 5-0 to retain the controversial nickname after listening to 21/2 hours of emotion-packed debate on both sides of the issue.
Overwhelmingly Monday night, people told board members the Redskin name was used with respect at Anderson and should not be dropped.
“I concur that there is no knowledge of any discrimina tion, nothing bad about the Anderson Redskins,” said Forest Heis, board president. “I understand the context that some American Indians see Redskin. I disagree that changing the name would solve anything.
Two dominant groups emerged during the debate: supporters of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and its campaign to eliminate American Indian logos from sporting events, and Save Our Skins (SOS) a group of Anderson Township residents who want to keep the name.
Guy Jones, a member of the Lakota tribe, who has helped lead the effort to change Ander son's nickname, said after the vote, “I knew in my heart what
the vote would be. I was excited, though, about the fact that individuals from different sides of the fence were talking with each other.”
One of SOS' founders said he was surprised by the unanimous vote, but was relieved at the outcome.
“I think you saw democracy at work,” said Greg Delev of Anderson Township. “I'm sorry some take offense to our using Redskins.”
Before the vote, SOS member Harry Andreadis said his research showed the word Redskin originated with Indian traditions of making red makeup from berries to smear on their faces.
AIM's supporters say the term Redskin comes from Dutch bounty hunters who paid money for every “Redskin” — dead American Indian — delivered.
-“If you want to honor American Indians, ask them how they want to be honored” said Linda Hensley, a woman of Navajo descent who lives in Hamilton.
- Winifred Clayton, who had six children go to Anderson High School, said the district should not be intimidated by AIM.
“Let's stop AIM's railroad train right here in Anderson Township,” she said.
Mr. Jones said Monday's vote wouldn't deter the group's efforts to seek changes in nicknames at other area schools.
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