ORE CITY, Texas — A petition on Change.org is calling for Ore City ISD to change the high school mascot from the Rebels.
According to the petition, due to the term's association with the Confederacy, the term is offensive to African American communities.
The petition did mention the story of the name coming from Ore City rebelling from Diana and Gilmer distticts. However, the petition also mentioned the mascot carried a Confederate flag into the 1990's.
"We believe that as an institution of public education, Ore City I.S.D. is perpetuating the notion that Black lives are secondary to those of white heritage," the petition says. "It also continues to ignore racism and leaving students at the school and community members, feeling unwelcomed and unaccepted."
