High School Mascots

* Regarding the op-ed piece on how three high schools will have to change their mascot names because they are politically incorrect (“Home of the Brave No More,” Aug. 16): The LAUSD is stopping well short of changing the nicknames and mascot names of schools that stand guilty of political incorrectness. Please note that the nickname for Theodore Roosevelt High School, the “Rough Riders,” is also the name of a popular brand of condoms. Can’t have the students getting wrong ideas. Same for Roosevelt’s archrival, the Garfield High Bulldogs--the name of a brand of beer. Another wrong message.

Note that here in the San Fernando Valley we have the El Camino Real Conquistadors--very politically incorrect, and surprising that the American Indian Education Commission didn’t catch it, since the people “conquered” by the Conquistadors were Indians. Note also the misapplication of a 16th century term to 18th century explorers. The Taft High Toreadors endorse the cruel sport of bullfighting. The name should be changed to fit Taft’s location, Woodland Hills. Maybe “Taft Woodsies” would be better. The Cleveland Cavaliers sounds elitist; there should be equal time for the Roundheads, which in any event would be more in keeping with the latest haircut styles.

Other Los Angeles High Schools: San Fernando Tigers (a predator) should be changed to a more gentle animal, perhaps the lamb. Same for the Kennedy Cougars. There are 50 high schools in the LAUSD. Scrap all the names! At $100,000 a school to replace band and athletic uniforms, decals, book covers, painting, signs, etc., we could pump $5 million into the local economy just by declaring all the mascots politically incorrect. And if times get tough in the future, we could do it all over again.

ABRAHAM HOFFMAN

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