Mohawk is one of two Richardson campuses that decided last month to give up their Indian mascots in favor of something with less potential to offend. Dartmouth Elementary elected to become the Mighty Ducks.

"Our community is more diverse, and we are part of a multicultural world," Dartmouth principal Kathy Clayton said. "We need to be aware of the sensitivities of the various people, races and ethnic groups. As a learning community we encourage our students to be accepting and respectful to all cultures."

The issue first arose in April when several Mohawk parents sought to revive a school mascot since the Indian had been mothballed about six years ago.

After learning of the effort, district officials made parents aware of their policy prohibiting new schools from using ethnic groups as symbols. Officials asked existing campuses with similar logos to comply voluntarily.

After several PTA and Mohawk Local School Council discussions, mascot options were narrowed down and voted on by both student bodies. The process took about two weeks and was completed just before school let out for summer.

At Dartmouth, where the original mascot was chosen in 1974, the vote was close: With 137 votes, Mighty Ducks beat out Stars, with 103, and Dolphins, 104.

"The history of the school will always pretty much be intact with all the drawings and signs throughout the school," she said. "Those things will always remain and be part of our history, but we'll move forward as well."

PTA members initially voted 59-50 to keep the mascot. However, the principal and a divided Local School Council - composed of teachers, staff members and residents - decided that wasn't acceptable and provided other options.

"I know that some of you feel the Indian is a tradition and that we honor them by using their image as a mascot," principal Billie Snow said at a PTA meeting before the decision. "However, we have not used this [image] for several years, so it really isn't a tradition that we have continued."

He said the image could be created so as not to offend, in the same way Florida State University did with its Seminoles logo. The university has been consulting with tribal officials for 30 years to ensure its representation is respectful.

"We are Mohawk," Mr. Marx said, adding that the political wrangling has dampened his enthusiasm for the school. "If I saw that the word Indian was derogatory, then I could see the point."

Beginning next football season, the National Collegiate Athletic Association extended its ban on Indian names to include bowl games. In other words, the organization will no longer sanction any games, season or post-season, involving teams with American Indian mascots, save three that have been exempted, including FSU.

Last year, a U.S. appeals court heard the case of a group of American Indians who had petitioned to cancel the Washington Redskins' trademark registration.

Mike Kellogg of Stillwater, Okla., a member of the Navajo nation and president of the Native American Journalists Association, said Indians are tired of being marginalized and dismissed.

"No culture should have to endure its traditions or heritage being hijacked," he said, adding that children need to learn that when they are young. "Those habits will be with them forever."

Arapaho Elementary, which combined with Classical Magnet to become Arapaho Classical Magnet this year, changed its mascot from the Braves to the Falcons as part of the merger.

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