Michigan school district votes to drop Redskins nickname

A school district in southwestern Michigan is dropping its Redskins nickname and mascot after the superintendent urged school board members to end the contentious name. The Paw Paw school board voted 6-1 on Monday to retire the Redskins nickname by the end of the school year. Superintendent Rick Reo said last week he believes the district originally chose Redskins to “celebrate the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.” But he said times have changed, even if the intent has not. The American Civil Liberties Union last year asked the U.S. Education Department to investigate a “racially hostile environment” for Native American students at Paw Paw’s high school.  (AP)