A Southern California high school has retired a controversial Arab mascot.
The bearded, snarling mascot with a large hooked nose who wears a head scarf did not appear at Coachella Valley High School’s season-opening football game on Friday. A belly-dancing genie that often appears with the mascot during halftime was also retired.
The Arab mascot has existed since the 1920s to recognize the desert region’s reliance on date farming, a traditionally Middle Eastern crop. Over the years, the mascot evolved from a turban-wearing horseman carrying a lance to a standing figure with a scowl and a traditional head covering.
It came under fire last November when the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee sent a letter to the school district complaining that the mascot was stereotypical. http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20140831-southern-california-school-retires-divisive-arab-mascot.ece
No comments:
Post a Comment