EDUCATION REPORT - Colleges Face Limits on Native-American T

EDUCATION REPORT - Colleges Face Limits on Native-American Team Names
By Nancy Steinbach

Broadcast: Thursday, September 01, 2005

I'm Barbara Klein with the VOA Special English Education Report.

Most American students are back in school by early September and, if they play fall sports, back in action.

This Saturday, for example, the Panthers of the University of Pittsburgh will open their football season -- American football. They will play the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame¹.

The Panthers have someone dressed like a big cat to help lead the crowds. At Notre Dame, the mascot² is a little creature of Irish imagination, a leprechaun.

Team names and mascots³ play a part in school spirit. But a committee of the national organization that governs college sports recently approved a new policy. It bars the use of hostile nicknames, mascots and images related to racial or ethnic⁴ groups during the championship season.

More than one thousand schools are in the National Collegiate Athletic⁵ Association. The decision affected⁶ eighteen schools with nicknames or mascots representing American Indians. The N.C.A.A. president says the schools found that some people could be offended.

Several teams are the Indians or Braves. Carthage College in Wisconsin has the Redmen. Southeastern Oklahoma State University has the Savages⁷.

 
FSU Seminoles
Also on the list are the Seminoles of Florida State University. The university president argued that the name honors the Seminole Indians of Florida. He noted⁸ that the tribe has supported the name for years.

The new policy goes into effect in February. Florida State, however, will not have to follow it. Last week the university won an appeal. Appeals by other schools will be considered case-by-case.

The University of North Dakota is home of the Fighting Sioux. Its president also says the name is meant to honor, not insult, Native Americans. He questions why the Fighting Irish are not on the list.

An official of the N.C.A.A. says, "This is not an exercise in political correctness." She says over four years of study went into the new policy. She says the aim is to make sure championship events are free of images and names that different groups see as hurtful.

Yet no one can agree how many Native Americans are offended. Findings conflict. Some mental health experts, however, say such names and images harm Native American children.

Similar disputes face professional teams, like football's Washington Redskins.

This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Nancy Steinbach.  I'm Barbara Klein.

1 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

2 mascot   

n.福神，吉祥的东西

参考例句：

• The football team's mascot is a goat.足球队的吉祥物是山羊。
• We had a panda as our mascot.我们把熊猫作为吉详物。

3 mascots   

n.吉祥物( mascot的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the mascots was the platypus. 吉祥物一是鸭嘴兽。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Information on all things Olympic, including logos, mascots, venues,and bid candidates. 所有事情奥林匹克，包括的标识语，吉祥物，地点，和出价候选人的信息。 来自互联网

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

5 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

6 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

7 savages   

未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There're some savages living in the forest. 森林里居住着一些野人。
• That's an island inhabited by savages. 那是一个野蛮人居住的岛屿。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。