VIDEO: Coachella Valley Arabs Superintendent Says 'We're Going to Keep Our Name'

About 100 people took part in a special meeting of the school district board Nov. 15 in Coachella Valley High's gymnasium, which is adorned with Arabs sports championship banners dating from the 1930s.

"We decided we wanted to have time for our public to talk about the issues surrounding the mascot," Dr. Darryl Adams, Coachella Valley Unified School District's superintendent, told Patch before the meeting started.

The gathering was an informational meeting at which no action was taken. No one from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee attended, but Abed Ayoub, director of legal and policy affairs for the ADC, told Patch he intends to visit Coachella Valley High next week.

Ayoub sent Adams a letter dated Nov. 1 that stated in part:

"ADC is appalled at the use of a caricature depicted to be an 'Arab' as the official mascot of the high school. The image of the Coachella Valley High School mascot depicts a man with a large nose, heavy beard, and wearing a Kaffiay, or traditional Arab head covering. "

After the Friday night meeting, the Coachella Valley Unified School District issued a statement announcing Ayoub's visit, and plans for a press conference at CVUSD headquarters at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday Nov. 19.

The school district said Ayoub's visit will include time with staff, students, alumni, and local leaders.

The ADC, which is based in the Nation's Capital, has raised concerns about the California desert school's Arab mascot at the same time Native Americans are putting pressure on the NFL Washington Redskins, a name and theme many consider offensive.

For more from the Friday night meeting see

Coachella Valley High Students, Alumni, Officials Extoll Pride in Arab Mascot