The Redskins may no longer be the Teton High School mascot

Students, parents and community members of the Teton High School are rallying up against a possible name change of their mascot, the Redskins.

“No malice was ever intended to use this name, it has been a source of pride for years and years,” said parent and rally organizer, Tracy Tonks.

The discussion to change the mascot name, which first appeared in 2013, was brought up again in a school board meeting last March. Supporters for the name change feel the name is racist and offensive.

“I travel as a coach and I think that a mascot should be a positive representation in other communities, when we travel, when we take our team to other communities, we can’t do that,” said teacher and coach at Teton High school of 25 years, Neil Gleichman.

The difference in views brought community members to invite representatives from the Native Americans Guardians Association to the Teton Valley. In hopes of using their knowledge and testimony about the Redskins name to give the community another perspective.

“We’re not here to debate whether the term is offensive or not, because obviously there are people who are offended, so in order for the term to be offensive, someone has to be offended by it, correct? I’m not here to say that those people are necessarily wrong, because it’s a personal choice to be offended or not offended and I personally am not offended,” said board member of the Native American Guardians Association, Mark One Wolf Yancy.

Many have shared their views about preserving the Redskins name on a closed Facebook group called “save the redskins.” As well as in person, last month a group of students gathered together in front of the high school to protest the possible name change.

The topic will be formally discussed on July 8 at the school board meeting held at Teton High School.

The auditorium has been reserved to accommodate a possibly large crowd.