Photo by mediaslave

While the D.C. Council is still keen on getting the Washington football team to change its name, a new bill introduced during today’s legislative meeting focuses on changing the nicknames and mascots of teams at schools in D.C.

Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5) introduced the “Human Rights Educational Institutions Fairness Amendment Act of 2014,” which he says “would align the District of Columbia’s school policies with the D.C. Council’s position on the name of the Washington Football Club,” by requiring a change at D.C. schools using race-based nicknames and mascots. While introducing the bill, McDuffie cited an organization, the American Indian Cultural Support, that found there are at least seven schools in D.C. that use Native American racially based mascots.

Under the bill, those schools—like the Anacostia High School Indians—would be required to change both their nicknames and mascot. “While I believe we must continue to apply pressure to the change the Washington football team’s name,” McDuffie said, “I do not believe we can do it without an air of hypocrisy if we do not address the offensive team names in our own backyard.”

According to a release, this bill would be inserted into the Human Rights Act prohibition “against the use of race-based nicknames, logos, mascots, and team names by any Educational Institution in the District.”