Hundreds attend work session to discuss Rebel mascot
Hundreds of community members attended the work session on Wednesday, July 8 to discuss the Vestavia Hills High School Rebel mascot. The meeting was held at 6 p.m. in the Community Education rooms on the top floor of the Board of Education.
At the start of the meeting, Vestavia Hills Superintendent Sheila Phillips addressed the recent concern over the mascot. She stated she has had countless phone calls and interviews over the last several weeks concerning the mascot and that the discussion came up during the school system’s strategic planning conversations in April.
“This is not a new conversation for us,” said Phillips. “Our job is to resolve the issue in the best interest of our students and the community. There will be no action taken tonight. We are simply here to be a listening ear.”
Following Phillips’ opening remarks, audience members were given the opportunity to speak for a maximum of five minutes each. First, current VHHS students were invited to address the Board. Among the students were several members of the VHHS cheerleading squad, a former Rebel man, member of the "We the People" team and an athlete.
Following the students’ remarks, alumni, parents and community members were invited to speak. Several residents argued that it should be up to the students to decide whether or not to change the mascot. Others stated the mascot was a blatant symbol of racism that should be removed and others argued that the symbol did not reflect the school system as a whole.
The Community Room reached its maximum occupancy of 177 people, so many people waited outside during the meeting’s duration. One of those waiting outside was former Rebel man Calvin Wright, who attended VHHS from 2009-2012. He feels that the mascot should not be changed and there are bigger issues at hand.
“This mascot shouldn’t really be an issue at all,” Wright said. “This city and this school system stand for so much more than that. We need to focus on what makes us happy.”
Resident Jeff Slaton moved to Vestavia Hills four years ago and has two children in the Vestavia Hills School system. He thinks changing the mascot would be the best thing for the community.
“We moved here for this great school system,” Slaton said. “The mascot makes an impression to the people outside of this community. We need to think about what kind of message it sends.”
During the meeting, several community members wore T-shirts that read "Once A Rebel, Always a Rebel,” on the back. Leading up to the session, several residents showed support of keeping the mascot. 1985 VHHS graduate Roger Harris sold "Support our Rebels" yard signs and another resident, Lorena Webster, sold Rebel bows for people to attach to mailboxes.
"People care. This is getting bigger and bigger," Harris said. "This is a community with great school spirit with a lot of people willing to display their support."
Other residents in the community feel the Rebel mascot does not have a place in Vestavia Hills. One group has created a website, vestaviamascotforall.com, calling for a more inclusive mascot and many wore stickers bearing this emblem during the meeting.
“We are a community of excellence and our mascot should reflect that,” said resident Susan Crow. "Getting rid of ‘Rebels’ and the dated and emotionally loaded imagery is a way for us to embrace our future rather than our past. It’s a way to acknowledge that celebrating diversity is a valuable part of education."
Phillips said she will make her recommendation to the board on this issue by the end of July.