Using Native American names for sports teams has caused controversy for many years.

Many schools across the country have either changed their names or their mascots because of this.

The University of North Dakota has been under fire as of late to change its name, which is currently the Fighting Sioux. Ralph Engelstad, a graduate of UND who is building an $85 million hockey arena for the university, said in a letter to the school’s president that he would abandon the project if the school dropped its nickname.

Engelstad sent the letter a day before the state Board of Higher Education voted 8-0 to keep the nickname with a newly designed logo.

Board members said they considered many factors for their vote.

They should have only considered one factor; the name is offensive and should be changed.

Money should not influence any decision similar to this one. Native Americans face more discrimination than any other ethnic group in the country. Sports teams still using these nicknames only show how ignorant this country still is. Sometimes the only image people have of Native Americans is based on their local team mascot.

If athletic teams used derogatory names of other ethnic groups the nation would be in an uproar.

It’s time for this hypocrisy to end.