Montville — Among the first caution lights encountered from people responsible for influencing public policy: understanding how things really work as opposed to how they should.

How they should work often leads to fanatical idealism.

How things actually work often leads to irreversible cynicism.

Ah, but then the town of Montville comes along and shows us the oasis, the story of true communication, collaboration and consideration. Maybe we're not dead yet.

It was about a month ago when the town's Board of Education tabled a decision on whether to continue the use of "Indians" as the school nickname. Board officials and superintendent Laurie Pallin are faced with a difficult decision after budget law was passed last summer allowing $1.4 million in funding to be withheld from the schools for the use of a Native American-related name as soon as June 2023.

The real news here isn't necessarily the final decision, but the way in which town, school, and Mohegan tribal leaders arrived at it: together. Respectfully. Almost makes you weep tears of joy.

"We are all in agreement that the value of the relationship between the town, the schools, and the tribe is much more important than the use of a nickname, and we don't want the use of the Indian nickname to be a polarizing issue for the town and the tribe," Pallin said.

"We also recognize that the use of the Indian nickname is not a Montville-specific decision, but has larger, national impact. We do not have a letter of consent from the tribe to continue to use the nickname, but I believe what we do have from the tribe is more important. We have their commitment to stand together as a partner with us as they have for generations. One illustration of this partnership is the tribe's offer to provide financial support for costs associated with the change."

It is because of issue's inherent polarization that the conduct of the dramatis personae is so refreshing. The same topic in Killingly, for instance, produced a town meeting a few years ago in which adults called each other "racists" and "liberal communists." In Glastonbury, a similar meeting resulted in a townie having a physical altercation with a Board of Education member, sustaining the old notion that while many strive to drink from the fountain of knowledge, others merely gargle.

The importance of town and tribal collaboration sits at the heart of the issue: manifesting simple respect for Native American tradition and history. This is the part that gets lost in many nickname/mascot debates. It's almost amusing the expertise presumed in this matter from people who are not Native American.

I am not Native American. Hence, I defer to their opinions and traditions. I respect, for example, that while the Seminole Tribe likes the Seminole mascot at Florida State, other tribes bristle at the use of other Native American mascots.

I also believe that defenders of the status quo and their "what about tradition?" argument need a course in remedial humanity. "Tradition" doesn't beget decency.

One of the things that amuses me about our country: The number of people who have never been part of a minority anything — and have a hard time tolerating people who are — who still influence public opinion and policy. Everything they say is substantiated by nothing more than their own opinions. And yet we entertain them as if there's some educational and cultural value to their whims.

In fairness: Not everyone in the Mohegan tribe agrees. Some want to get rid of "Indians." Some want to keep the name, as was stated at last month's Board of Education meeting, "The use of the word Indians isn't used in a derogatory manner but is meant to conjure an image of the best qualities we can ask of our young adults," one speaker said. "Its use has come to signal honor, bravery, resilience, strength."

But it is because this issue polarizes that Montville is a beacon. Just spitballing here with some hopeless idealism, but what if more towns used a similar approach?

A decision is likely at Monday's board meeting. Sources within the town and tribe say that the recommendation going forward is to discontinue the use of the nickname. I'm sure that will irritate some people in town. I just hope the irritation is expressed respectfully — as it has been from the beginning.

Congratulations to Pallin, Mayor Ron McDaniel, board members and the Mohegan tribe for doing it right. We're not always going to agree. But there's a way to go about it.

You can be Killingly, Glastonbury or Montville. I choose Montville.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro