Twenty years ago, the Seneca Valley school board passed a resolution not to remove its mascot.

Nicknamed the Raiders, the school district’s mascot — a person dressed in American Indian clothing — is based on the rich American Indian history of the area.

Seneca Valley’s intentions are to honor the history of the school’s location, not demean it.

Some people believe the time has come for the school district to change the mascot. A petition can be found online supporting such a move.

I suppose one can debate whether the mascot and nickname of Seneca Valley’s athletic teams, as well as the Moniteau Warriors, should be changed.

Has that time come?

The NFL’s Washington Redskins are finally removing their nickname. Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves are considering outlawing their fans’ famed “tomahawk chop.”

Connecticut lawmakers are removing all Native American mascots. Last year, Maine became the first state to ban Native American mascots and nicknames.

As far back as 1988, 50 Minnesota high schools removed their Indian nicknames.

A number of years ago, Bethel Park — my alma mater — altered their nickname Blackhawks to Black Hawks.

In 2007, Indiana (Pa.) University dropped its Indian nickname and became the Crimson Hawks. Now Indiana High School is receiving pressure to change their Little Indians nickname.

Recently, Shady Side Academy dropped their Indian nickname and will have the student body vote on a new nickname when classes resume.

At last count, the United States and Canada still had approximately 400 teams nicknamed Indians, 100 nicknamed Braves, 100 nicknamed Warriors and 47 nicknamed Redskins.

Moniteau, of course, is called the Warriors. Like Seneca Valley, the district’s intention is to reflect on Native Americans and the area’s heritage in a positive way.

“The description ‘warrior’ is a word of honor,” Moniteau athletic director John Stoughton said. “We have been under no pressure whatsoever to change our nickname and I don’t believe we should be.

“We are respecting and honoring that part of history.”

The nickname Redskins can certainly be considered a racial slur. It is understandable why many find it offensive.

Raiders and Warriors? Not so much.

Where are we headed with this?

In time, every athletic nickname even remotely tied to the American Indian may be banned in this country.

Some of these mascots could be re-evaluated as to whether they’re in good taste. But Indian nicknames can be honorable.

I consider Seneca Valley and Moniteau to be among them.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle