Indians and Cowboys no more -- 2 New Jersey high schools vote to change nicknames

Two schools in Bergen County will be changing their mascots after a majority of students felt the nicknames of Cowboys and Indians were culturally insensitive.
The Pascack Valley Regional Board of Education approved two new mascots Monday night in a 5-4 vote.
Pascack Valley will be the Panthers. They were the Indians, and there apparently wasn’t much of an issue with that name change. Pascack Hills will be the Broncos. They were the Cowboys.
Many at Pascack Hills last summer felt the Cowboys nickname unified the student body. A petition to keep the name garnered at least 1,000 signatures. But some believe the name was derogatory toward female students.
The region making up the two high schools consists of eight municipalities, including Montvale, Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, Hillsdale, Westwood, River Vale, Washington Township and Emerson.