Watertown TAB & Press
Friday, March 9, 2007

Editorial: Thumbs up, thumbs down (Excerpt)

Thumbs down to the (Red) Raider mascot. This week, the Natick School Committee dumped the "Redmen" team name as racist. For about a decade, Watertown High officials have de-emphasized the Indian connection to the mascot by shelving the "Red" in "Red Raiders." It's time for the hidebound, stereotyped Indian sometimes used with the team to go. There's one still visible in the gym and some Raiders jerseys sport an Indian head. How about keeping the name Raiders, but switching to an Oakland Raiders-style pirate mascot?