Paw Paw Schools to Vote to Change or Keep ‘Redskins’ Mascot [VIDEO]

Another West Michigan school district is considering changing its controversial mascot.

Following a board meeting Monday night, it's been decided there will be a vote February 8th on whether to keep or change the Paw Paw school's "Redskins" mascot, Fox 17 reports.

Paw Paw follows in the steps of Belding Schools, who in December put keeping their "Redskins" mascot to a vote. The Belding School Board voted unanimously to change the mascot.

After an intense meeting last week involving yelling and disagreements, a special school board meeting lasting three hours was held Monday night.

One mother, Nicole, wants to keep the Redskin mascot, telling Fox 17,

"We are wasting the time of [the board] drawing this out month after month. The time of the board should not be spent discussing this mascot or the term 'Redskin.'  We should be discussing the real issues, like not enough recess time, dwindling state funding."

Nicole's husband is Native American, she argues that no one in their family finds the term "Redskin" offensive, saying,

"Please do not erase our legacy. The Native American symbol is based on pride and dignity, not shame."

Other parents and community disagree, saying the term is disrespectful and derogatory.

Karen Schaumann, a professor at Schoolcraft College told Fox 17 that the word is harmful,

 "There is an entire canon of education and psychological research on the harm - not just on the Native American students - but all students because it allows them to embrace stereotypes."

More than 100 people attended the first meeting on the issue back in December, Wood TV 8 reports.