Is the Sammamish High School Mascot Offensive?

QUESTION: Should Sammamish High School take up the state Board of Education's recommendation and change the name of its mascot, the Totems?

The Associated Press is reporting that the state Board of Education is encouraging all schools with Native American names to replace them.

The state board passed a resolution on Wednesday urging districts to stop using Native American mascots, the AP reported (linked to here via The Seattle Times):

In the past decade, about 10 schools have given up their Indian mascots. But another 50, including tribal schools, are holding fast to their nicknames as warriors, braves, redskins and red devils.

In Bellevue, the mascot of one of its high schools - Sammamish High School - is the Totems.

The State Board of Education's resolution cites the American Psychological Association's research "documenting harm to Native American children, called for the immediate retirement of all Native American mascots, symbols, images, and personalities..." (Read the rest of the resolution in the PDF attached to this article.)

While the board can't require schools to change their mascots, but it strongly encourages schools to drop the symbols, in part, to change negative perceptions of Native Americans.

Nothing has come up formally in Bellevue to change the name, as far as we know. But we'll put the question to you, Patch community. And if anyone has any background or history about the mascot, please share it here.

Should Sammamish High School take up the state Board of Education's recommendation and change the name of its mascot, the Totems? Tell us in the comments below.