"How does any high school “cease and desist” on a cherished tradition? For generations, the Southeast High School Seminoles have charged the gridiron, stalked the basketball court and cheered the sidelines under proud banners displaying a distinctive spear and Indian head.

But now Florida State University accuses Southeast of breaking trademark law and demands the high school quit using the Seminole name, logos, slogans and mascot. How does Southeast diminish FSU’s identity over those marks, as the university’s representative claims?

While a national debate over the use of Native American names and mascots on sports teams at all level of competition has been going on for decades, the Seminole Tribe of Florida sanctions FSU’s nickname and Chief Osceola as mascot.

FSU’s connection with the Seminole name only dates back to 1947. In the early 1970s, Seminole leaders objected to the antics of the first mascots and then worked with the university on a dignified and representative portrayal. The university then adopted Chief Osceola as mascot later that decade — and Southeast followed suit shortly thereafter. So again, how does that diminish FSU identity? Wouldn’t that instead strengthen the university’s identity with greater recognition of those symbols?"

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Editorial: FSU should lighten up over Southeast logo use (The Bradenton Herald 8/27)