By Marianne Lincoln

BETHEL, SPANAWAY, WA — Due to a legislative bill passed this year in Washington State, the Bethel School District has been forced to review its mascot for Bethel High School due to its Indian connotations. Last Spring, the School Board chose members for a committee to review the mascot and come up with an alternative.

The committee site has quotes from Puyallup and Nisqually Nations that do not support the current Brave logo and name. They have also produced a survey for the community. Find it at this link. It will ask you to provide an mascot you recommend.

The following is from their email:

“BHS Mascot Survey

The Bethel High School 2021 Mascot Review Committee wants to hear from you! House Bill 1356 took effect this year and states that, “public schools may not use Native American names, symbols, or images as school mascots, logos, or team names.” This includes the name “Braves.” To bring BHS into compliance with the new law, a committee made up of students, staff and community members is reviewing mascots and logos and determining what will embody the next chapter in BHS history. Please share you thoughts by clicking here: https://forms.gle/TgUU7cpRmCS4TdJu6 “

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So put on your thinking caps. What else is historic to the area? Elk, wapiti, mammoths, cougars, Scottish men from Hudson Bay Company in kilts, sheep, cows, auto wreckers, babes, hornets, loggers, bucks, buzzards, bears, bullfrogs, bulls, bison, buffalos, bravehearts, badgers, brass, …

Give it a try.