The Wisconsin Rapids school board has approved a new more racially sensitive nickname.
Superintendent Robert Crist says the school board voted to drop "red" from the nickname, leaving them as the Lincoln High School Raiders. He says the community and students will now develop a new mascot and moniker for the school.
Crist says the momentum behind the name change has been building for years and gained steam when student leaders took on the issue last summer. He says times have changes and policies need to change with them.
Local tribal leaders had called for the change for years and support what the school board did this week.
Crist says student leaders held public forums to discuss the name change and agreed it was time to come up with a new nickname.
Not all school board members agreed with the change. Greg Swank says he doesn't see the need for a new nickname and that the word "red" doesn't have to be tied to a specific ethnic group.
AUDIO: Matt Lehman reports (MP3 :39)
