Washington Redskins Apparel Banned At Bethesda School

BETHESDA, MD — While students and staff at Green Acres School in North Bethesda have every right to root for their favorite NFL team, if they are Washington Redskins fans they may no longer wear the team's gear on the private school campus. School leaders, parents and students have discussed the controversial team name for a year, and decided that the Redskins name is a derogatory racial slur, Head of School Neal Brown said in a letter to the community.

"Its use, whether intentional or not, can be deeply insulting and offensive. It is a term that demeans a group of people," Brown wrote. "Similarly, the team’s logo also can reasonably be viewed as racially demeaning. At best, the image is an ethnic stereotype that promotes cultural misunderstanding; at worst, it is intensely derogatory." (See Brown's full letter to parents below.)

With the start of this school year and going forward, the Redskins name and logo are not allowed on the campus. Youngsters from 3-years-old through eighth grade attend the private school at 11701 Danville Drive in North Bethesda. (SIGN UP: Get Patch’s daily newsletter and real-time news alerts, or like us on Facebook. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

Patch readers are divided on the action. A couple of Virginia readerson Facebook called the decision "nonsense" and to ask, "Is everything racist these days??"

Some Native American groups and other have long lobbied team owner Dan Snyder, who lives in Potomac, to change the name of his team, to no avail. A June 2017 U.S. Supreme Court ruling helped bolster the Ashburn, Virginia-based team's legal case regarding its nickname. The Supreme Court rebuffed a 2011 trademark ruling saying an Asian-American band that called itself "The Slants" violated an act that prohibited trademarks for names that potentially disparaged others.

SEE ALSO: Washington Redskins 2017 NFL Schedule

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In 2013, during a federal trademark lawsuit that ultimately was lost by the Washington Redskins, Snyder told USA Today, "We'll never change the name. It's that simple. NEVER — you can use caps." Well, the name hasn't changed. But in 2014 the team's trademark registration was cancelled. That may now be overturned.

While Green Acres encourages students to be themselves and not conform to peer pressure, the school also pledges to have respect for others and not disparage a race of people, Brown said. Those considerations outweighed fan fervor for the NFL team, officials decided.

There has been no comment on the ban by the team.

Read Head of School Neal Brown's full letter to the community:

Dear Families,

Last year, our community engaged in thoughtful and open discussions about the wearing of the Washington professional football team logo and the use of the term “Redskins” on campus. We first talked about it in the Staff Diversity Committee, then as a full staff, then with all of our Middle School students, and finally with several parents who joined members of the administration and the Inclusion and Diversity Committee. Students in grade 3 also raised the issue during their study of Native Americans, and then they and the 6th graders engaged in a discussion of ethnically and/or racially–derived sports team logos as part of last year’s celebration of MLK Day.

Perspectives varied in each of these discussions, as one would suspect. The local football team has been around a long time and has experienced great successes; loyalty to this beloved team and passion for the game of football are understandably strong among many of our students, families, and staff members. Clearly, there is nothing wrong with rooting for one’s team.

At the same time, the term “Redskin” is a racial slur. Its use, whether intentional or not, can be deeply insulting and offensive. It is a term that demeans a group of people. Similarly, the team’s logo also can reasonably be viewed as racially demeaning. At best, the image is an ethnic stereotype that promotes cultural misunderstanding; at worst, it is intensely derogatory.

As such, having students or staff members on campus wearing clothing with this name and/or this team logo feels profoundly at odds with our community’s mission and values. We pledge in our Diversity Statement to foster both “an inclusive and uplifting community” and “a sense of belonging for everyone in the Green Acres community.” Similarly, our Statement of Inclusion calls upon us to “welcome people of any race, national, or ancestral origin,” among other social identifiers. Further, as our guidelines for “appropriate dress” in the Community Handbook require students to “dress in ways that demonstrate respect for others,” we cannot continue to allow children or staff members—however well intentioned—to wear clothing that disparages a race of people.

As a community that highly values diverse points of view and individual expression, this decision is a challenge for us. Our Philosophy Statement both “encourages respect for others,” while also “celebrating individuality.” At times like these, these two concepts come into conflict. We expect our students in particular to express themselves as individuals, to be themselves, to share their interests, and not to conform to peer pressure. After listening to students, parents, and colleagues, though, I believe that our need to be respectful and truly inclusive outweighs our need to support individual expression in this case.

I ask that you please not send your children to school wearing clothing with either the team name or logo in the year and years to come. I will be speaking with students to share with them my decision and to enlist their understanding and support. Additionally, we invite you to reach out to us with any questions you may have about how to discuss this with your child.

I am grateful to everyone who participated in these important conversations—and for the opportunity to lead a community dedicated to instilling in each of our students a deep respect for all people.

Sincerely,
Neal M. Brown, Ed.D.
Head of School

Patch file photo