The Braves are staying, but the brave is going.
La Conner High School — one of Coupeville’s top rivals in the Northwest 2B/1B League — is redesigning its sports team logo to come into compliance with a new state law.
House Bill 1356 bans the use of Native American names, symbols, or images by public schools.
The law has an exception for school districts whose enrollment boundaries include what the law terms “Indian Country.”
The Swinomish tribe and the La Conner school district have a long history together, dating to the early 1900’s, when tribal children began attending La Conner schools.
Current numbers from the state’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction list 34% of La Conner students as Native American.
Two of five school board members are Swinomish tribal members, while Superintendent Will Nelson is also Native American.
While using the Braves name and logo for its sports teams, La Conner also incorporates the moniker in other ways, with the district motto being “Be brave.”
District schools have worked to keep Swinomish tribal heritage as a vital part of their curriculum, with drumming, carving, and Lushootseed language classes offered to both tribal and non-tribal students.
With that in mind, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community is allowing La Conner to retain use of the Braves name, but wants the logo changed.
The logo, which depicts a Plains Indian wearing a feather headdress, will be removed from the floor of La Conner’s gym.
Some posters and team uniforms are also being replaced.
To prepare for the change, the district conducted a community survey to determine values it wants its new logo to embody.
The replies heard most often were “pride, community, strength, courage, and diversity.”
La Conner school officials want a new logo to have cultural reference to Coast Salish peoples, and the survey found eagles, salmon, feathers, canoes, and wolves the most-referenced images.
The district is seeking submissions, and those submitting logos do not need to restrict themselves to those images.
Submissions, which are due by Nov. 12, should be sent to Clarissa James at cjames@lc.k12.wa.us.
Coupeville Sports 
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