As the Washington Redskins announce a name change, two Delaware County communities are wrestling with similar issues involving Native American imagery, writes Zachariah Hughes for WHYY.org. and Fran Maye for the Daily Local.

The National Congress of American Indians has pushed for the removal of Native American sports mascots, logos and symbols.

“Rather than honoring Native peoples, these caricatures and stereotypes are harmful, perpetuate negative stereotypes of America’s first peoples, and contribute to a disregard for the personhood of Native peoples,” states the organizations campaign page.

In Radnor, resident and parent Maya van Rossum worries the Radnor Raiders name is making a comeback even though Radnor High School nixed the mascot Red Raider in 2013 because of its cultural insensitivity to Native Americans.

In Unionville-Chadds Force, recent graduates have an online petition asking for an end to their Native American mascot.

Unionville-Chadds Ford School District Superintendent John Sanville said the district has already made some changes after conversations with the Lenni Lenape Tribe.

Others in Unionville see the district’s imagery as a sign of respect to the Lenape Tribe.

Sanville said an open dialogue will continue.

Read more about the battle over Native American mascot names at WHYY.org and the Daily Local.

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