The Controversial Mascot of Coachella Valley High, California

Usually, the portrayal of a sport team's mascot are animals or other symbols. The Washington Redskins refuse to change their name or mascot, an American indian warrior just because some indians might find it offensive after over 50 years as the mascot. It's a politically correct world now that is overly sensitive.

Many high schools have similar issues, usually about ethnic groups. For instance, Sonoma State University had a mascot of a Russian Cossack for 20 years. The cossacks were elite warriors in the Russian civil war. They were the most feared. The SSU Cossacks, as they were known, actually had a lousy football team. Then, one day, someone complained about it finding the portrayal offensive. How can this be? Obviously, this person and group knew nothing about the Russian cossack. The D was used- discrimination as was the L word-lawsuit. So, to avoid it, SSU changed the mascot and name to "Seawolves". Luckily, so far, no wolves have barked loudly about this.

Many high schools find them in the same identical situation. Enter Coachella Valley High, in the area of Indio, CA. Indio is very much like the Middle East but in California. It is blistering hot and dry. The vistas are filled with thousands of date palm trees all over the place. In its own way, quite beautiful. Much of the population ironically is Hispanic, not Arab.

This high school has always had an Arab mascot and a genie along the sidelines in basketball and football games. They actually do it to honor the many Arabs in the area and to those who pick dates. The official name is the Coachella Valley High Arabs. At rallies, the genie shakes and jiggles her charms like a belly dancer, while the mascot, a somewhat menacing looking Arab with a mustache rallies the crowd.

The HS refuses to change their name from the "Arabs". They are bending under pressure and threats about their Arab mascot. Luckily, it seems everyone likes the belly dancer. Even this seems to be a hypocrisy. The belly dancer is Middle Eastern, sexual dancing to entice men since time began in that area. She is beautiful. The Arab mascot looks a bit menacing and a caricature that may offend someone, somewhere, sometime, or, not at all, after all it is high school. Funny, none of the students want it to change, only some adults do who are the PC police. Some think the mascot reinforces negative stereotypes.

So, like SSU, the high school is bowing to the PC police numbering a few. They will change the Arab mascot look to a more friendly looking one.