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The decision to scrap the team name 'Redskins' by the Paw Paw Public School district was made back in March of this year, months before the Washington Redskins acquiesced to calls for a new, non-discriminatory team name. But some Michigan schools are reluctant to part ways with the moniker.

The 6-1 decision by the Paw Paw Board of Education to abandon the team name was met with some opposition from members of the community. Paw Paw is a community of about 3,000 people in Southwest Michigan, about 20 miles west of Kalamazoo.

Last month, the district announced that it would adopt a new name for the team and submitted the name 'Red Wolves' to the school board for approval. The board unanimously decided to adopt the new name at its meeting last night (7/13).

However, four other schools in Michigan still use 'Redskins' as their team names:

  • Saranac Community Schools
  • Clinton Community Schools
  • Camden-Frontier Schools, and
  • Sandusky Community Schools

Okemos Public Schools' mascot is the Chiefs.

According to WILX, Saranac Community Schools considered, but ultimately rejected a name change in 2015. Superintendent Jason Smith says a name change could be up for consideration again in the future.

The Michigan High School Athletic Association says mascots are the decision of each individual school.

“These aren’t decisions that the MHSAA makes,” the MHSAA’s Geoff Kimmerly said. “They’re made in every community, but there’s no better time than the present than to have thoughtful conversations and take into consideration how any nickname or mascot will affect anyone.”

In the video below, WUSA's Darren Haynes opines on the reason Washington's NFL team has chosen to abandon 'Redskins' as its team name:  Money.

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