CA: Redskins mascot falls under attack again

The new year brought with it a renewed attack upon Calaveras High School. Wednesday, Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles) introduced Assembly Bill 13, which, if it becomes law, will "prohibit public schools from using the term Redskins as a school or athletic team name, mascot or nickname commencing January 1, 2007." "Unless she comes up with some revolutionary new information, I don't see it passing," Calaveras High Principal Mark Campbell said. "She pushed it as far, with as narrow a focus - going after just ?Redskins' - as she could last year. Unless something changes and we get a new governor, I don't see how it will pass." Campbell sees the legislation as "another waste of time, effort and money," and thinks Goldberg will "just alienate more people" by repeatedly bringing it before the legislature. The new bill is almost identical to the final version of Goldberg's AB 858, which eventually garnered approval by the state Assembly and Senate last year before being vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is the third year in a row that Goldberg has carried her crusade to outlaw the use of Redskins through the halls of the state Capitol. The legislation applies to only five California schools, but is seen by some as the opening of a divide-and-conquer war on other "racially derogatory or discriminatory" school names. In addition to Redskins, the original version of AB 858, introduced in February 2003, included Indians, Braves, Chiefs, Apaches, Comanches, Papooses, and Warriors and Sentinels "if accompanied by Native American imagery" and "any other Native American tribal name." [more]

• The Calaveras High School Web Site [more]