School board votes to dismiss Redskins mascot

The OKC school board voted to dismiss the Redskins mascot at Capitol Hill HS. (Provided)

The OKC school board voted to dismiss the Redskins mascot at Capitol Hill HS. (Provided)

Capitol Hill High School is in search of a new mascot.

The Oklahoma City School Board voted 8-0 to dismiss the Redskins mascot after hearing from several students and community members who said the name was offensive to Native Americans.

Board chair Lynne Hardin said she was among many who grew up in OKC without viewing the name as offensive.

“But once you know, you can’t go back,” Hardin said.

Four Native American students told the board during Monday’s meeting they were in favor of changing the name and over half of the standing-room-only crowd stood in support of the students after they spoke. The OKC school district’s student population is four percent Native American.

J. Don Harris, president of the Capitol Hill Hall of Fame and alumni association, told the board the mascot was never meant to be offensive and had tradition going back to 1927. After the board vote, Harris said he was alright with the change.

“We never wanted to offend anybody,” Harris said. “Back in the day everything down there was named ‘Redskin Clinic,’ or ‘Redskin Barber Shop.’”

Hardin said he was in favor of finding another name that paid tribute to Native Americans. The board said it would create a committee to select a new mascot.

  • or