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[article provided by LH. Thanks!]

http://www.azcentral.com/news/0219mascot.shtml

Scottsdale grade school dumps Indian mascot
By Hernan Rozemberg
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 19, 2000

Sixth-grader Colin O'Neill sure is glad his school finally has a mascot he
can be proud of.

"Tommy the Tomahawk" never got students excited about attending Indian Bend
Elementary in northeast Phoenix, said Colin, 11, who's student council
president.

Plus, it didn't symbolize what a school is all about, Principal Jeff Smith
said.

"We've come to the conclusion that we can't condone violence or
divisiveness," he said.

So, after more than two decades as the Tomahawks, Indian Bend's mascot now
is the Thunderbird. The Paradise Valley Unified School District board
approved the change Thursday night.

The name was chosen after a drawing contest at the school, at Thunderbird
Road and 36th Street.

In recent years, some Native Americans have called on professional sports
teams, including the Cleveland Indians and Washington Redskins, to drop
their mascots and change their names, which they consider offensive to
native traditions and cultures. No changes have been made.

Cal Seciwa, director of the American Indian Institute at Arizona State
University, said he hopes the school's move reflects slowly changing
attitudes.

"It's good they've been able to address the issue by taking away an image of
stereotypical misrepresentation," he said. "We're starting to see people
showing more respect to the contributions native peoples have made to this
country."
 

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