Vic Hansen

Over the last decade, several hundred Native American students and their families helped design, carve, and paint a series of totem poles for the Eugene 4J Schools’ NATIVES program. Five were installed outside Eugene schools, often with the burning of sage and traditional drumming. Now—after criticism from some other local Native people—those same poles will be removed.

On Friday Eugene elementary school students got hands on experience creating a totem pole. Kids at the Ridgeline Montessori School teamed up with a local…