As Per Jerry Patterson - WHO KNEW? - Political correctness is running amuck. Houston ISD has officially decided that the word Rebels is either racist or ethnic, and has ordered Westbury High School to change their mascot. n its second and final reading of a policy update on school mascots, the Houston ISD school board voted 7-0, with one abstention and one member absent, to prohibit the use of any race or ethnic group as a mascot or nickname. The updated policy means that four schools — Lamar and Westbury high schools, Hamilton and Welch middle schools — will be required to retire their mascots and choose new ones during the 2014-2015 school year. HISD administrators say the process will respect the history and tradition of the old mascots, which continue to have widespread support among the community and alumni. Advertisement “We realize – especially after the December meeting – that this is an issue which brings out deep emotions on both sides,” said HISD Chief School Support Officer Drew Houlihan in a press release. “While traditions are important, they do not trump kindness and respect. We owe that both to the students at these schools and to the community at large.” The push to retire the mascots gained momentum in late 2013, when HISD Superintendent Terry Grier publicly supported efforts by state Sen. Rodney Ellis and the Anti-Defamation League to formally retire Lamar High’s Redskins mascot and other derogatory emblems. In a highly-publicized letter to Grier, Ellis called the Redskins name “a relic of a shameless, discriminatory past.” In an opinion piece, Grier wrote, “HISD must retire, respectfully, school symbols that no longer reflect the values of who we are – proudly diverse, inclusive, forward-thinking and committed to instilling character and social awareness in our youngsters.” In its first reading of the policy update, the school board voted 8-0, with one member absent, in favor of it. yourhoustonnews/west_university/news/houston-isd-moving-forward-with-mascot-changes/article_b79686d1-c77a-5da6-af4e-891d02563eb8.html
Posted on: Fri, 17 Jan 2014 23:30:32 +0000
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