WYOMING, Mich. - Some Lee Middle & High School Rebels want to continue being Rebels.
On Friday, May 10 about 40 students and some alumni gathered to peacefully protest the Board of Education's decision to change the name of the school's mascot. According to a release from the district, staff supervised the protest to ensure safety. Students who participated in the protest will face consequences for their unexcused absences.
The district says the process to change the mascot was "thorough and inclusive" to all members of the Godfrey-Lee community. There were two forums open to the public, a student forum, an online survey, public Board committee meetings and a unanimous vote at the regular Board of Education meeting.
The "Rebels" name elicits strong connection to the school for some, but can be viewed as offensive by others, the district said in a release.
"We want to have a unified identity that reflects our values now and into the future," the district's superintendent, Kevin Polston, wrote.
The Board of Education had Godfrey-Lee history teacher, David Britten, create a video about the evolution of the Rebel nickname at the school, to shed some light on the history of the name. You can watch that here.
After a public submission period, the committee has narrowed it down to 10 different potential mascot names including, Dragons, Lynx and Sentinels.
The students will vote from the top 10 list, and the final decision will be left up to the school board.
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