New York School Drops Orientals Nickname for Sports Teams

East Lincoln quarterback Chazz Surratt carries the ball during the NCHSAA 2AA State Championship high school football game held in Winston-Salem, N.C. Saturday, Dec. 14, 2014. (AP Photo/Winston-Salem Journal, Lauren Carroll)

ROCHESTER, N.Y.—A New York high school whose sports teams have been called the Orientals for more than a century is ditching the nickname.

The Democrat and Chronicle reports (http://on.rocne.ws/1ISR6Ks ) that the Rochester school board on Thursday approved the Eagles as East High School’s nickname starting in 2015-16 school year.

Oriental is considered to be a derogatory term for someone of Asian descent.

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East High adopted the Orientals nickname 112 years ago, when the city’s other high school called its sports team the West Occidentals. West High School later was renamed Wilson High School.

East High has been using an eagle logo for several years.

The nickname change comes after the Lancaster school district outside Buffalo recently dropped its Redskins nickname in favor of the Legends.