Utah school becomes latest to ditch Native American name

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Teams will no longer be known as the “Redmen” at a Utah high school that’s become the latest to get rid of a Native American name deemed offensive.

The Iron County School District board voted 3-2 Tuesday night to approve the change. A committee studied the issue and recommended that Cedar High School stop using a term that critics consider a racial slur.

The move comes despite opposition from some residents and one national Native American group that wanted to keep the name.

The Cleveland Indians last year stopped using a contentious, cartoonish mascot called Chief Wahoo on the MLB team’s caps and jersey sleeves, and a school in South Dakota also ditched the name Redmen.

Several professional teams still use mascots that offend people, including the NFL’s Washington Redskins.