California became the first U.S. state to ban public schools from naming their sports teams and mascots "Redskins," which is seen as a racial slur against Native Americans.

On Sunday, Gov. Jerry Brown approved a bill prohibiting the use of the term "Redskins," forcing four California high schools to change mascots, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Following Brown's approval of the "Redskins" name ban, Tulare Joint Union High School District Superintendent Sarah Koligian said officials were "disappointed" by Brown's decision, but will adhere to the law nonetheless.

"Together with our Board of Trustees, school community and our Tulare community we will seek their input to determine our new mascot," Koligian said in a statement Monday, according to The Associated Press.

Chowchilla Union High School District Superintendent Ronald V. Seals also complained about the new law, which will force the Chowchilla Union High School to stop using its Redskins mascot and logo after nearly 90 years.

"It's just taking away something that's so near and dear to their hearts ... and by people who don't even live here," he said.

On the other hand, American Indian groups applauded the measure, which will go into effect in 2017.

"The most populous state in the country has now taken a stand against the use of this insidious slur in its schools," said activists from the Change the Mascot group in a statement. California is "standing on the right side of history by bringing an end to the use of the demeaning and damaging R-word slur in the state's schools."

Although Gov. Brown passed the landmark legislation, he also vetoed another racially sensitive bill that would have barred municipalities from naming public properties after Confederate leaders. Opponents argue that such names are racist since they honor people who fought to preserve slavery in the American Civil War.

However, Brown decided that "local decision-makers" should choose names for schools and parks.