Local School District Fights Controversy Over Name

This is a decision for the school system that will not be an easy one to make nor will it be made overnight.

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(Hanover, Ind.) – Controversy has struck a local school district regarding their mascot and nickname.

The Southwestern Rebels are now under the microscope due to their name allegedly being associated with the Confederacy.

With the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis Police Officer sparking national attention, and protests for the Black Lives Matter movement, many are now protesting to remove racially-biased statues, symbols, and names.

This matter has struck Southwestern High School with many saying that the name comes with a “racist ideology.”

The Southwestern Jefferson County School Corporation stated that the name is not tied to racism and that there are many false claims circulating in the community and on social media.

In a report from WDRB, Southwestern Superintendent Jeff Bates stated that the school said the Rebel nickname was established when three schools consolidated to form Southwestern.

Southwestern Rebels was created to reflect a rebellious spirit of students from Saluda and Hanover who chose to create their own school district, Southwestern, rather than combine with the rest of the county schools.

WDRB also reported Superintendent Bates saying, “the name comes from James Dean’s ‘Rebel Without a Cause’ film, not racism.”

Recent letters to the editor in the local paper have called for a change in name, due to the current events and the narrative of our county at this time.

This is a decision for the school system that will not be an easy one to make nor will it be made overnight.

As more information comes to light we will update you.