By Megan Wehring
The Hays Rebel mascot has spiked a recent controversy across social media and the community.
Students banded together at the Hays CISD Board of Trustees’ meeting Thursday night. Many shared their thoughts and experiences related to controversy around the rebel mascot.
As the Board was previously adamant about a student-led effort, Hays senior Alena Hernandez organized the committee of students in favor of retiring the rebel mascot. The committee passed around a petition that raised over 500 signatures, while sparking mass attention across social media.
While there were several signatures and positive feedback, Hernandez informed the Board that the committee received negative comments from the community.
“As a leader, I feel inclined to protect the students of my committee,” Hernandez said. “I must say the copious amount of hate we have been subjected to has been ridiculous. It seems clear that the choice to have students lead this change was not one that prides our safety. I am one person, one student and one child.”
Hernandez also questioned the Board’s decision to have the campaign against the mascot be solely up to the students.
“I don’t believe the administration truly understood the extent the members of our community would go to battle us on this,” Hernandez said. “People went as far to create fake accounts just to comment on my posts and message me hateful words. … It is time Hays CISD takes accountability for its actions and finally prioritize the safety of its students. Enough is enough.”
Hays senior Hannah Cook highlighted that a school’s mascot should ultimately unite the entire community instead of creating arguments.
“As a school, every student should be united by our mascot and other depictions of school pride,” Cook said. “Yet this can’t happen because our mascot still represents racism to this day.”
Cook also said that students should take pride in every part of their high school, including the mascot and other associated symbols.
“Students shouldn’t have to be disturbed by their school’s symbols and be constantly reminded of the racist past rooted within our community,” Cook said. “Students shouldn’t have to be worried about their mascot at all or the fact that countless schools associate them with racism due to the reputation we uphold as the rebels.”
The Board voted unanimously to retire the rebel mascot from Hays High School. Due to attention drawn to COVID-19 and a short timeline, the Board decided to slow the process down of selecting a new mascot. It’s possible the rebel mascot won’t be fully retired until the end of the 2020-2021 school year.
