Rebels Name To Be Removed From Riverside Secondary School

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The Public School Board is removing the team name, Rebels, from Riverside Secondary School and will immediately discontinue the use of its mascot “Captain Rebel”.

In a statement, the board says they are committed to dismantling anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism and to creating safe, caring, and inclusive learning environments for all students.

“The Rebel name and related symbols are connected with anti-Black and anti-Indigenous hate. Confederate soldiers, who fought to retain the enslavement of Black peoples in the United States, were called ‘Rebels’ or ‘Johnny Rebel’. Johnny Rebel is also the name of a white supremacist country singer whose songs feature anti-Black hate and racial slurs,” the statement reads.

“In addition to being referred to as ‘Rebels’, we understand that the Confederate army appropriated the name of the Comanche Nation in relation to the Rebel battle cry, based on harmful anti-Indigenous stereotypes. The battle cry is referenced in the Riverside Secondary School school spirit song and the Riverside Secondary School logos feature a feather.”

School administration and board staff are developing a strategy to provide education and support for Riverside Secondary School students and staff. They are also developing a thoughtful process for the selection of a new and equitable name and brand for the school, in cooperation with the school community.

You can read the full statement here.