Reasonable compromise may have triumphed over simplistic rhetoric in Oregon’s approach to Native American school mascots.

As a result, schools and tribes will be encouraged to develop relationships that can broaden communication, understanding and historical knowledge.

In 2012, the Oregon Board of Education voted to require removal of all Native American mascots by 2017, threatening loss of funding for any district that didn’t comply.

During testimony before the board and subsequent legislative hearings, it quickly became clear that tribes are not unanimous in their views on the subject. Some clearly believe the mascots are offensive racial stereotypes that are harmful to young tribal members. Others see the opportunity to work with their local schools to educate and to find solutions. The example of Roseburg was cited, where the Cow Creek Bank of Umpqua Tribe of Indians and the high school agreed to eliminate the warrior logo and other imagery, but agreed the teams could remain the Indians.

The 2013 Legislature voted by large margins to relax the Board of Education’s ban, but the governor vetoed that bill. Now a compromise has been worked out that adds a layer of supervision by the Board of Education for any district and tribe that choose to work together on the issue.

The bill instructs the Board of Education to confer with tribes to write guidelines for school-tribe agreements. The board would also need to approve individual agreements.

The governor has said he will sign the bill. That’s good news.

It allows for careful, respectful dialogue on a divisive subject. As we’ve argued before, it’s easy to find offense in words like squaw or savage. But it’s a stretch to ban chief and brave and warrior, which speak to admirable qualities of courage, strength and leadership.

This compromise allows communities to work together to preserve mascots that are part of the community fabric while building understanding and overcoming divisions. It’s a worthy result.