I have always been proud of my high school that I attended. Even if I don’t miss certain people in high school, I definitely miss my amazing high school (even though college is great.) I came from a high school with a lot of school spirit and pride and our team is the Neshaminy Redskins.

There has been a boiling feud about our team name and whether or not it is a derogatory term or if we are using the word because of pride. You may have heard about our school and the feud on various news outlets. Our school newspaper, the “Playwickian,” failed to make a unanimous decision about whether or not to ban the use of the word Redskin in the publications of the newspaper. Although they failed to reach a unanimous decision, the editors of the paper decided to remove the term Redskin from future publications of the newspaper. The administration said that the newspaper did not have the right to do that without an “okay” from administration. It’s up to you to decide who is right and who is wrong in this case but if you want to hear my opinion, I’m for the administration.

To me, the newspaper does not represent the entirety of the school’s opinions but only those of liberal "rising journalists" trying to make a point. If I am going to read a school newspaper, I want to read a newspaper with differing views that represents different groups of individuals in my school. If nobody was able to use the word Redskin in the paper because the Playwickian, that does not represent differing opinions. That represents one small group of individual’s opinions in a school of almost three thousand students. I understand that the newspaper has a first amendment right, but they also did not receive a “go ahead” from the administration, the people they are essentially working under.

I had believed this argument was over now that I am in college, but I have seen articles, Facebook statuses, and tweets arising recently about our team mascot.

The name Neshaminy derives from a group of Native Americans, so our school mascot was created to reflect the Native Americans that once lived in the area. Was the term “Redskin” the perfect name for our school mascot? Of course not. However, I understand why the name was chosen and I am proudly able to say “I was a Neshaminy Redskin!” While I do understand why some people think the term is derogatory, I am extremely proud of the school I graduated from and I will continue to say my team’s name with pride.

Like I mentioned above, the name reflects the Lenni Lenape, so we wanted a team name that recognizes Native Americans. I think any team name that could honor Native Americans could be considered “racist” and “derogatory.” My middle school’s team name was “Chieftains” and I bet that if we chose the name Neshaminy “Indians,” that would be I considered derogatory, too. I really do understand why individuals do not like the name. Yes, it is 2016 and there are progressives out there who are trying to make the world less “white-dominated” but then there are conservatives, like myself, who like tradition. The team name has always been like that and nobody spoke up. I understand why people would speak up now. It is 2016 and people are trying to change things, but that is how Neshaminy is known and has been known for years. We are not specifically calling anybody the R-word.

It is up for you to decide if you believe the name is derogatory or not. I have offered my opinion but I do not look down on other’s opinions if they differ from mine. The beauty of an opinion is that it is yours and nobody else’s so not everybody has to agree with you, but I do like having my feelings known.

I will always be proud of the school I attended and I will always be proud to call myself a “Neshaminy Redskin.” A change in the school name may not affect me anymore since I have graduated from high school, but I graduated as a “Neshaminy Redskin” and I will forever be proud of it.