The San Diego Unified School District Board of Education will change the nickname for Clairemont High School’s athletic teams from Chieftains to Captains to comply with a California state law banning the use of any derogatory Native American terms.
The proposed new nickname was selected “after a nearly yearlong community engagement process,” according to the district.
In a letter to board trustees, Clairemont Principal Karly Johnstone wrote that the Captain’s nickname “was chosen largely for its inclusive application and being a title students can strive to attain.”
“Though Captains is a human reference, we are looking for our mascot to be a gender-neutral animal or symbol that will represent the inclusive culture of Clairemont High School and we look forward to working this into our school culture,” Johnstone added…