Wilson HS Students Discuss Ban On DC NFL Team Apparel

Wilson High School’s student newspaper, The Beacon, has given us permission to share some of its reporting. If you do not have a student at Wilson and don’t already receive the newspaper, we encourage you to subscribe (download this form to do so). The paper is entirely funded through donations and advertising.

by Nathan Davis and Val Pehrson
Beacon co-editor-in-chief & contributor

Following a complaint by a student who wasn’t named, Principal Pete Cahall has given the Student Government Association the authority to ban Redskins apparel at the school.

Cahall maintains that he has “no dog in the fight” and that he will “let [the student government] debate and discuss and come up with a proposal – or not.”

With the decision in their hands, SGA has decided to take a democratic approach. At an undetermined date, after homecoming (November 2nd), the SGA will have all second period representatives meet and determine the method of choosing to ban or not to ban. Options would include a debate in the atrium, a school-wide vote, or any other way of determining the desires of the student population that SGA deems fit.

Following the chosen event, SGA would follow the will of the majority and act accordingly.

“We didn’t want to just decide without the input of the Wilson students,” said senior and SGA Treasurer Todd Allen-Gifford on the decision to resolve the issue democratically. When commenting on the issue, senior and SGA president Manuela Bayon made sure to emphasize that the decision the SGA was making was not an official stand on the Redskins’ name or organization, merely an attempt to limit offensive clothing.

“Some people would take it as Wilson being anti-Redskins… we’re looking at it as a dress code thing,” said Bayon.

Wilson alumnus Caleb Eckenwiler, class of 2012, shared his thoughts on the potential ban with a Beacon reporter via Facebook: “That sucks, next thing you know you’ll have a uniform. One of those ugly joints with green pants and an orange top.”