Multiple PA High School Sports Teams Could Be Forced To Change Nickname

HARRISBURG PA — A much maligned Pennsylvania high school sports team nickname would be forcibly retired under impending legislation in the state House.

Rep. Christopher Rabb, a Philadelphia Democrat, plans to introduce a bill that would ban the use of Native American/American Indian mascots or logos in public schools.

"For far too long, indigenous peoples have faced discrimination, disrespect, and violence," he stated in a memo to colleagues. Our commonwealth must not remain complicit in the perpetuation of derogatory, bigoted, and harmful practices which encourage bullying and other forms of abuse. Therefore, eliminating the use of offensive stereotypes for school mascots is the least we can do to begin mending the damage done by the appalling historical oppression of these groups."

Rabb also plans to introduce companion legislation that would provide grants to schools that have a Native American mascot and voluntarily discontinue their use of the mascots. The grants would be used to offset the costs associated with the discontinuation, such as the cost to purchase, design or renovate school equipment to remove the mascot.

The following list might not be complete, but Patch was able to identify the following Pennsylvania schools that use "Indians" as their nicknames:

• Cowanesque Valley Junior Senior High School

• Donegal High School

• Indiana Area Senior High School

• Juniata Senior High School

• Lehighton Area High School

• Millersburg Area Senior High School

• Muncy Junior Senior High School

• North Hills Senior High School

• Penn Hills Senior High School

• Peters Township High School

• Shamokin Area High School

• Souderton Area Senior High School

• Susquehanna Township High School

• Upper Perkiomen High School

• Waynesboro Area Senior High School

• West Allegheny Senior High School

• West Forest Junior Senior High School

Several professional sports teams have gotten rid of Native American monikers in recent years. In 2021, the Cleveland Indians changed their nickname to the Guardians; the Washington Redskins became the Washington Commanders in 2022 after playing two seasons as the Washington Football Team.