Playwickian Banishes 'Redskins' from Pages

The national argument over the use of the Washington Redskins moniker has filtered down to Bucks County and the high school that shares the same team name.

The editors at Neshaminy High School's student-run newspaper, The Playwickian, have thrown their hats into the controversy with a recently published opinion piece that explains why the publication will no longer use the word 'redskins' in its pages.

"Whether it’s the most basic dictionary definitions , the opinions of many Native Americans, or a more in-depth look at the word’s origins, the evidence suggesting that ‘Redskin’ is a term of honor is severely outweighed by the evidence suggesting that it is a term of hate," states the unsigned editorial. "It is for these reasons that The Playwickian editorial board has decided it will no longer use the word ‘Redskin,’ or any derivative such as “‘Skins” within its pages in reference to the students or sports teams of Neshaminy High School."

A civil complaint has been filed with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission against the school district by a parent with Native American roots, according to Newsworks.org.

One-third of the Playwickian's editorial board wrote a dissenting piece arguing in favor of keeping the name, saying, "Redskin is not racist as it is a representation of the school spirit that Neshaminy represents. At the football games Redskin Nation is not a group of people being racist, they are the students of Neshaminy uniting as one to cheer on the team."