1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:05,560 Speaker 1: Of dollars on overlanding I. 2 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 2: Ninth planet audio cap gone, we're overlanding, You're over landing. 3 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 3: Over Thank you for joining us tonight for the meeting 4 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 3: of the Boon County Board of Education. I will now 5 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 3: call the meeting to order, and I do see miss Hughes, 6 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 3: our former student board rep from back in the old days, 7 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 3: is first up to uh talk about an item. It's 8 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 3: not on our agenda tonight, but that's okay. And I 9 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,319 Speaker 3: do notice that a couple of people have yielded their 10 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 3: time to you. 11 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 4: So good evening. I'm a cute I promise you're going 12 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 4: to hear the speech in this episode. But let's back 13 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 4: up just a little bit. But I feel like too, 14 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 4: I just wanted to regroup now that we're all here. Yeah, 15 00:00:58,160 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 4: so you feel like you still need to kind of 16 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 4: write out what you want to say. 17 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:04,039 Speaker 5: Well, I think I have an. 18 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:06,400 Speaker 6: Idea, So it's like I would love to workshop it. 19 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 4: But then also like my producers and I are back 20 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 4: in Florence for three final meetings of the year, a 21 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 4: super fun meeting with BLDG and two high stakes presentations 22 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 4: to the school Board and School Based Decision Making Council, 23 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 4: in which we hope to really make some progress towards 24 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 4: changing the BCHS mascot. I had hoped to show up 25 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 4: with the support of Seawan Alexander, a likely slam dunk 26 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 4: in getting the school's attention, but even without his endorsement, 27 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 4: I feel like we've had a ton of great conversations 28 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 4: and really put together a roadmap that can help the 29 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 4: school administrators see that change is needed. 30 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 6: The last time we were here was September. It's now December. 31 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 6: It's much colder. We're back in the same area in 32 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 6: Florence near the airport, and you know, not much as 33 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 6: jay for the temperature. Maybe they added a few more 34 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 6: chain restaurants, but yeah, yeah, we have done so many 35 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 6: hours of work and research to this point, and right 36 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,639 Speaker 6: now we're heading to Covington to meet up with the 37 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:14,679 Speaker 6: folks at BLDG again just to actually have this kickoff 38 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 6: and talk about what a game plan could look like 39 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 6: for a school. I also am next to a truck 40 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 6: that has a We the People seventeen seventy six rebel 41 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:28,079 Speaker 6: ram with an NRA bulver sticker. 42 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 4: So yeah, not in La anymore. I was a leady rebel, Like, 43 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 4: what does that even mean? 44 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 7: The Boone County Rebels will stay the Boone County Rebels, 45 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 7: but the image of. 46 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 6: It right here in black and white. 47 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 8: Friends bigger than a flag or mask. 48 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,079 Speaker 9: On anytime you're trying to mess with tradition, you get 49 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 9: to be ready for a serious. 50 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 4: Backgratch from Ninth Planet Audio. I'm Akhila Hughes and this 51 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 4: is rebel spirit. So disappointing being back in Florence. It's 52 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 4: a reminder of just how far we've come and how 53 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 4: much work we've done since our trip out for homecoming week. 54 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 4: We've made allies with school board members and city council 55 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 4: people and other folks in Florence working to make a 56 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 4: change here. 57 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:22,959 Speaker 10: Yeah, Carolyn is great. 58 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 11: She's a great person for you guys to have connected with. 59 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:26,519 Speaker 10: I'm really glad you have. 60 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 5: Thank you. 61 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 4: Yeah, we've talked with students at BCHS and around the 62 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 4: region about what they'd like to see in a mascot 63 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 4: and why they're important. 64 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 5: It makes me want for like my school in the. 65 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, we've dived deep into the history of the area 66 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 4: and have proven that the central story around the rebels 67 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 4: name that it was based on rebel without a Cause 68 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 4: is a lot So it was just funny that like 69 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 4: Olazok was coming to the library. We've spoken with people 70 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 4: who have made mascots people love, and have gotten to 71 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 4: work with BLDG, the design firm that transformed the Frontier 72 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 4: League baseball team right here in Florence, from the Freedom 73 00:03:58,360 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 4: to the y'alls. 74 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 9: That's why it's the press bucket and not a press 75 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 9: box marks bucket of chicken. 76 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 4: And we've spoken with people at other schools who have 77 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 4: made the change away from the rebels, including Bobby Thomas 78 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 4: at Denver South, who gave us his whole game plan. 79 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 5: Loud voices that people respected. We're standing behind this decision. 80 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,719 Speaker 4: We've done the readings, we understand the assignment, and now 81 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 4: in December twenty twenty three, we were back in Florence 82 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 4: to share it all with the school, but our first 83 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 4: stop was back in Covington, Kentucky to meet with BLDG 84 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 4: for some advice on how to best present our case 85 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 4: in Florence this week to see you. 86 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 5: Guys in person. I know, I feel very lucky to 87 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 5: be able to be here. 88 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 12: I think for us, one thing that helped us with 89 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 12: the y'alls is that we had a suggestion of where 90 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 12: to go, and I think what we can do and 91 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,159 Speaker 12: what we kind of recommend is always wrapping it up 92 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 12: in that kind of larger story. You don't necessarily have 93 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:48,920 Speaker 12: to say it's X what they're called the biscuits or yeah, 94 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 12: but you've got all. 95 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 5: The logical stuff in your back pocket. It sounds very 96 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:54,479 Speaker 5: clear because we have that for the y'alls too. 97 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 12: It was we've got a laundry list of blind responses 98 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 12: of people saying, y'all's y'all st are. 99 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 5: Yeah, we had on the logical staff. Now we need 100 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:04,039 Speaker 5: the conceptual idea. 101 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 11: Yeah. 102 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:06,160 Speaker 8: But we went through the three of us and we 103 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 8: were like, well, what's your high school mascot? And what 104 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 8: we were What we found was, I mean my high school, 105 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 8: the nickname is the Bombers, God is my Witness, and 106 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:16,360 Speaker 8: the logo is. 107 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 5: The Agent Orange because the logo was. 108 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 8: The logan, so they're not even. We went Jason, I 109 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 8: went to the same high school, so it's the same thing. 110 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 8: It's a fighter jet. I was at a party and 111 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 8: I mentioned not this, but I mentioned, you know. She 112 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:31,479 Speaker 8: was like, I'd love for you to come in and 113 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 8: do some stuff for sat AX, and I'm like, you know, 114 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:34,840 Speaker 8: I will, but you have to agree to do this, 115 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 8: and she's like, well, why would that be importantly Well, 116 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 8: if we're selling this idea of men for others, well 117 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 8: our logo is a bomber that. 118 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 5: Kills people men for others. Let's go and kill them 119 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 5: all together exactly. 120 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 8: Yeah, And she laughed and she was like, well, I 121 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 8: guess you make a great point. So that brought a 122 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 8: deeper conversation. 123 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 4: So much of the work of ending offensive tropes is 124 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:58,160 Speaker 4: just making people aware of them. My mother said it 125 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:01,359 Speaker 4: in our very first episode. It takes an education and 126 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 4: a willingness to be open minded, open minded even that 127 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 4: whatever comes next for Boone County will be better, not 128 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 4: just less offensive or less historical. We can be more, 129 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 4: more engaged, more creative, even more proud. 130 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 12: So much of the way we sell ourselves is like 131 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 12: people kind of look at us like, hey, prove it smart. 132 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 12: If you guys are such harny pants, like what's your 133 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 12: what's what is the answer? So I think you know, 134 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 12: and if we don't have the hey, this is the 135 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 12: name now going forward, it's it's more so just about this, 136 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 12: like theoretical driver of what makes just a name change 137 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 12: in general a great idea which again you've got all 138 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 12: the logical stuff in your back pocket to use. It 139 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 12: can be so much more than just like a picture 140 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 12: on your wall in a school. It can be something 141 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 12: people want to wear on a T shirt. It can 142 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 12: be something that they want to make scarves out of, 143 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 12: or best case scenario, they make their own posters. 144 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 5: To carry around. 145 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,159 Speaker 4: Like the principle was my fine arts teachure. 146 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 5: It can spark creativity amongst the student body. 147 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 12: That they can't even dream of, like right now, because 148 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 12: they don't have anything. 149 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 4: So out of the meeting with BLDG, I was looking 150 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 4: forward to the school based decision making meeting that night. 151 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 4: In the school board meeting the next day, Bolstering my 152 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 4: optimism was an email we got from Stacy Black, the 153 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,800 Speaker 4: principal at BCHS, who wrote us just a few days 154 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 4: before we arrived in Florence, responding to one of my 155 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 4: producers who had written a parent representative to the BHS 156 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 4: decision making Council. In that email, Principal Black dropped a 157 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 4: surprise on us, read by a friend of mine who 158 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 4: is an excellent actress. 159 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 10: We already have an internal committee that is in the 160 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 10: process of looking at this issue specifically. Internal conversation started 161 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 10: last year during my interim year and have continued this year. 162 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 10: The internal committee has been brainstorming what the process will 163 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 10: look like, and so with this being said, any additional 164 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 10: feedback is always welcome. While I sincerely appreciate your commitment 165 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 10: to this change and the work you've done, Mascot Committee 166 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 10: at BHS will lead the work around this and create 167 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 10: a timeline, slash action plan which will include feedback from 168 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 10: the twelve hundred and eighty five students in our building, 169 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 10: in addition to parents, alumni and teachers, and external BCHS 170 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 10: school community members. 171 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 4: Up to now, the only communication we to receive from 172 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 4: Stacy Black was no comment, and now she's telling us 173 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 4: she had already formed a super secret committee to bring 174 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 4: storm a process to change the mascot last year. I 175 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 4: was floored, and so I wrote to follow up. Princeville. 176 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,679 Speaker 4: Black's response was positive, if noncommittal. 177 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 10: I don't want you to feel like your opinion as 178 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 10: an alumnus is not important or welcome. It is, but 179 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 10: there is a process for this type of change and 180 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:54,560 Speaker 10: I will be following this process. 181 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 4: We agree that this is. 182 00:08:56,640 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 10: Needed, but the process and timeline set by the formalized 183 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 10: committee will leave the work it is too important, and 184 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 10: I will do this the correct way and follow the 185 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 10: established action plans set forth by the committee. I believe 186 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:16,440 Speaker 10: you and I are aligned in our beliefs pertaining to 187 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:20,320 Speaker 10: this topic. I agree wholeheartedly that a new mascot would 188 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 10: be a positive change, increase positive school culture, and be 189 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 10: a positive representation of BCHS in all that we hope 190 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:34,479 Speaker 10: to accomplish and continue to approve upon here. I'm especially 191 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 10: excited about involving the students in it and how we 192 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 10: can make this a fun and engaging process that will 193 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 10: bring our school community even closer. I understand the impact 194 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 10: this will have and am committed to continued positive change 195 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 10: at BCHS. In that I know we are in full agreement. 196 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 10: BCHS has been my home for twenty seven years, my 197 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 10: entire professional career. I care deeply about this school, the students, 198 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:08,319 Speaker 10: and the staff, and I am extremely excited for this 199 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 10: process to begin and the positive change it will bring. 200 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 4: None of us were really sure how to process this exchange. 201 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 4: There was a committee or there wasn't. The work had 202 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 4: begun or it hadn't. Was this change coming soon or 203 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:27,839 Speaker 4: was all this just a stalling tactic. Certainly, these are 204 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 4: questions that could be answered at the School Based Decision 205 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 4: Making Council meeting we were attending at the high school 206 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:35,439 Speaker 4: that night, right, I mean, if nothing else, it made 207 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 4: me want to push for more transparency in this process 208 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 4: and press for urgency in making this change. Anyway, these 209 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 4: were questions swirling in my head as we've pulled up 210 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 4: to Boone County High School for the meeting. Hi, Leslie, 211 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 4: how you doing this? Looks way better than there was 212 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 4: in high school. We was joining us at the meeting 213 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 4: was Leslie Chambers, who is on the city Council and 214 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:02,599 Speaker 4: is been super supportive of us throughout this process. The 215 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 4: School Based Decision Making Council meeting is held in a 216 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 4: small multipurpose room off the front entrance of the school 217 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 4: that when I was at BHS was the auditorium. The 218 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 4: council sits at a high top table on one end 219 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 4: of the room, and a ray of couches and chairs 220 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:19,960 Speaker 4: fill the rest of the room. There's a sign up 221 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 4: sheet to speak at the entrance when you walk in, 222 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 4: and tonight I'm the only name on it. Awesome, Bye? 223 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 4: Can we just sit anywhere? It's so quiet in there. 224 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 4: It's the kind of quiet that makes you feel like 225 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 4: you're interrupting something, even though this is obstensibly a public meeting. 226 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 4: We take our place on the couches and things open 227 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 4: with a very muted roll call, whispered approval of the 228 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 4: last meetings minutes. And then, because I'm the only one here, 229 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 4: it's my two minutes right away. There's no microphone or lectern. 230 00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 4: You just stand up and go all right, No, it's 231 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 4: all good. 232 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 6: I can project I used to be in this auditorium. 233 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 4: All right, let me know when the time has started, 234 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:06,280 Speaker 4: and I'll come great. 235 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 6: Hi. 236 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 4: I'm Akila Hughes. I'm a BHS alum from the class 237 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 4: of two thousand and five. I wrote an article in 238 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:15,679 Speaker 4: the Cincinnati Enquirer that got picked up about going to 239 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 4: the high school re union in twenty fifteen and about 240 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 4: the mascot. Obviously, everyone here knows about the controversy surrounding 241 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:24,680 Speaker 4: mister Rebel, and in twenty seventeen you all did away 242 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 4: with him and promised to get a new mascot. It's 243 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:29,479 Speaker 4: six years later and Boone County is still the Rebels. 244 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:31,719 Speaker 4: I'm here to convince you that this needs This is 245 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 4: one of two meetings I'll have to make my case 246 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:36,320 Speaker 4: at so I won't test your patients hearing the same 247 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 4: speech twice. Suffice it to say, I said my piece, 248 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 4: and then we're here and excited to work with you 249 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 4: on this and we will follow up via email encourage 250 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 4: you to start moving this process forward. Thank you. We 251 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 4: did it perfect timing, Yeah, no worries. The council was 252 00:12:57,080 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 4: friendly and thank me for being there. And that was it. 253 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:02,679 Speaker 4: We were in and out in under ten minutes. Though 254 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:05,239 Speaker 4: I had hoped for more of a discussion with the SBDC, 255 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 4: I wasn't too surprised and knew that we still had 256 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,480 Speaker 4: the school board meeting the next evening, so we decided 257 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 4: to enter our night with grilled cheese and pie at 258 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:17,319 Speaker 4: another Northern Kentucky staple, Frish's Big Boy, before heading back 259 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 4: to the hotel to prepare for the next challenge ahead. 260 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 4: When we return, I go in front of the school 261 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:24,359 Speaker 4: board to say my piece. 262 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 3: Thank you for joining us tonight for the meeting of 263 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 3: the Ben County Board of Education. I will now call 264 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 3: the meeting to order. 265 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 4: All right, really, y'all, this time, I'm not stopping the tape, 266 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 4: I promise. As opposed to the SBDM council meeting last night, 267 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,599 Speaker 4: the school board meeting was packed. Joining us at the 268 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 4: school board meeting was Leslie Chambers again and then Jay 269 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 4: Becker from BLDG, who was planning to speak in support 270 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 4: of our efforts. When we were here in September, you'll 271 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 4: remember that the near overflow crowd was here to speak 272 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 4: against SB one fifty, the anti trans youth bill recently 273 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:05,439 Speaker 4: passed by the Kentucky legislature. This time around, there was 274 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 4: no single issue uniting the crowd, and instead of the 275 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 4: usual order of business where the public comment period follows 276 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 4: a few short presentations, the meeting dragged on. 277 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 5: We did the same round and creating balloons. And you 278 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 5: have a community based accountability. And he defines two different 279 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:27,119 Speaker 5: kinds of accountability, and I want to make the distinctions 280 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 5: so that you're aware. And on he calls the first 281 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 5: one protectionist accountability. 282 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 1: And this is. 283 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 4: What we have three vendors right now who are their 284 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 4: level of encryption. Hand on goes end of life, so 285 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 4: to speak. It was over two hours before finally the 286 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 4: public comment period began. 287 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 3: That brings us to our audience of citizens our usual disclaimer. 288 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 3: We welcomed to the opportunity. 289 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 4: The crowd that had been there at the start of 290 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 4: the meeting had dwindled significantly. Jay Becker from BLDG, who 291 00:14:57,040 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 4: was planning to speak, had to leave about ninety minutes in. 292 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 4: Finally it was my chance to speak. 293 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 3: And I do see Ms Hughes, our former student board 294 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 3: rep from back in the old days, is first up 295 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 3: to talk about an item. It's not on our agin tonight, 296 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 3: but that's okay. And I do notice that a couple 297 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 3: of people have yielded their time to you. 298 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 4: So good evening. I'm Akila Hughes. I'm a Boone County 299 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 4: High School alum from the class of two thousand and five. 300 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 4: I also sat on this very board as the student 301 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 4: representative to the Board of Education for my final school 302 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 4: year in the district. You can see my baby face 303 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 4: and a picture hanging right outside of this room. Zebus 304 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 4: it It's good. I'm here because I'm making a podcast 305 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 4: for iHeartRadio about the mascot at Boone County High School 306 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 4: and about how change is possible. Obviously, everyone here knows 307 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 4: about the controversy surrounding mister Rebel, and in twenty seventeen 308 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 4: BHS did away with him and promised to a new mascot. 309 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 6: Awesome. 310 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:04,840 Speaker 4: It's six years later in Boone County is still the Rebels, 311 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 4: still named after the Confederacy, a short lived, failed military 312 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:12,120 Speaker 4: exercise against the will of the United States of America. 313 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 4: Kentucky wasn't even in the Confederacy. Boone County High School 314 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 4: has been the Rebels seventeen times, longer than the Confederacy 315 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 4: even existed seventeen But this isn't about shame or relitigating 316 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,560 Speaker 4: the past. This is about moving the school and the 317 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 4: community forward. Last night we attended the site based Decision 318 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 4: Making Council meeting at Boone and explain why this change 319 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 4: needs to happen as soon as possible. And you'll be 320 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 4: happy to know that the principle, Miss Black, claimed in 321 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 4: an email that this is something that the school cares 322 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 4: about and wants to change. I am here to convince 323 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 4: you that this needs a change expeditiously. Next year is 324 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 4: the seventieth anniversary of the school. It's also the seventieth 325 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 4: anniversary of Brown versus the Board of Education and what 326 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 4: better time to make this change than with that celebration. 327 00:16:57,880 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 4: And I've put in a lot of work to help 328 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 4: facilitate the change. We were here in the fall and 329 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 4: attended homecoming, and in the time since, we've conducted dozens 330 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:09,679 Speaker 4: of interviews, comprising hours of research with students, parents, members 331 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:12,720 Speaker 4: of the Board of Education, members of the site based 332 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:17,879 Speaker 4: Decision Making Council, the city Council, the Alexander family, principles 333 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 4: at other schools who had to make this specific change 334 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:23,119 Speaker 4: from a rebel to a new mascot. We've spoken to 335 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 4: a local historian at the Boone County Public Library. We 336 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 4: spoke with the Florence Yawls and the team at BLDG, 337 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,159 Speaker 4: which is a local branding and marketing firm who did 338 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:34,200 Speaker 4: the literal case study on creating a more inclusive mascot 339 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 4: from one that had zero excitement around it. Jay Becker 340 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:40,240 Speaker 4: was here earlier he had to leave. Everyone we've spoken 341 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:42,199 Speaker 4: to has been excited about the change, and we are 342 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 4: offering all of our resources to the school. When I 343 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:47,399 Speaker 4: came to homecoming in the fall, I was really floored 344 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 4: to see how diverse the school community has become, not 345 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 4: just racially, but internationally and with self expression and acceptance. 346 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:56,800 Speaker 4: It's clear that the school community has changed. But the 347 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 4: one thing that hasn't changed in all of this time 348 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 4: is the mascot. During my time at BCHS, Black students, 349 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 4: regardless of their achievements academically or in extracurriculars, were made 350 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 4: to feel othered. We were never represented by the mascot. 351 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 4: We were made to cheer for, and since graduating, when 352 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 4: I speak to people who aren't from here about what 353 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 4: high school was like for me, there's a pause. Everyone 354 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 4: understands intellectually that the mascot is wrong. The fact that 355 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 4: we had to cheer for it is wrong, and it 356 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 4: isn't just wrong today. It was wrong in two thousand 357 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 4: and five, and it was wrong in nineteen fifty four 358 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 4: when the school was founded. It is a blight on 359 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 4: my lived experiences and a shame for this community to overcome. 360 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 4: The students deserve better, and so far they've been offered 361 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:41,840 Speaker 4: racism or nothing. It's time to offer them something better. 362 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 4: This is an opportunity. This region is blossoming, the population 363 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 4: is booming, and the community is better now for the 364 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:52,160 Speaker 4: diversity that has come, it's only going to continue to diversify. 365 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 4: So let's look toward the future. This doesn't have to 366 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:58,200 Speaker 4: be expensive or daunting. This doesn't have to be hard. 367 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,440 Speaker 4: It's an opportunity to prepare Boone County into its next 368 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 4: seventy years. And it isn't just an opportunity to change 369 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 4: the mascot from bad to decent. It's an opportunity to 370 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:11,440 Speaker 4: engage the creativity of students, their parents, alumni, and the 371 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 4: greater community to build a new and positive legacy for 372 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,679 Speaker 4: the school. I know change is hard, and I know 373 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 4: that there will be pushback. That's where leadership comes in. 374 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 4: When we came here in September, we tried to meet 375 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:26,199 Speaker 4: with you, and instead we were put in touch with 376 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 4: Barbara Brady, who led us to apparent Liaison to the board. 377 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 4: In a text that Liaison said to me, quote, aw, 378 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 4: we both know the school board has already put this 379 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 4: to rest. To reiterate, she does not believe that this 380 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 4: is something that you actually care about, and she felt 381 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 4: comfortable putting that in writing to me. Let's prove her wrong. 382 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 4: I do believe that you care about this. I believe 383 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,119 Speaker 4: you care about the students who go to Boone County 384 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:56,640 Speaker 4: High past and present. I believe you understand how good 385 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:58,879 Speaker 4: this change could be for everyone, and I believe that 386 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 4: you can be doing more to help Boone County High 387 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 4: School create a new identity that the entire school community 388 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 4: can be proud of. When we spoke of alumni who 389 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 4: were here in the Shawn Alexander era, there was an 390 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,199 Speaker 4: energy there, a pride there. People were engaging with the 391 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 4: school in a way they never had before and had 392 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 4: something worth cheering for. We can have that again. I 393 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:21,159 Speaker 4: would love to see a standing room only football stadium 394 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 4: for homecoming with the crowd of families excited to cheer 395 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,479 Speaker 4: on a team with an identity everyone can be proud of. 396 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:30,159 Speaker 4: Students taking pics with the mascot posting them on Instagram. 397 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:32,920 Speaker 4: A mural in the school that doesn't say Rebel Pride, 398 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 4: but instead is created by the student community and represents 399 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:38,640 Speaker 4: all the kids who go there and alumni who actually 400 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:41,119 Speaker 4: returned to the school and experience a new sense of 401 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 4: pride about how far we've come. I promise you that 402 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 4: this change will have a ripple effect throughout the wider community. 403 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 4: It's amazing what happens when people feel included and respected. 404 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 4: This is the opportunity that lies in front of you, 405 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 4: and I'm here and excited to work with you on this. 406 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 4: We will follow up via email to share our resources, 407 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:03,440 Speaker 4: and we encourage you to start moving this process forward. 408 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 4: Thank you. The public comment period now well past the 409 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:16,159 Speaker 4: two and a half hour since the start of the 410 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,439 Speaker 4: meeting was sparse. There were two other speakers there to 411 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:23,240 Speaker 4: talk about unrelated items, and then Amber Hoffman, who we 412 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 4: spoke to earlier in this series, spoke as a Boone 413 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:28,639 Speaker 4: County District parent and support of changing the mascot. 414 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 9: And this is an opportunity for you guys to make 415 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 9: sure that all of the students in Boone County Schools 416 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,439 Speaker 9: know that this is not appropriate. Take a stand and 417 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,399 Speaker 9: make sure that they understand that we are y'all. This 418 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 9: is what you guys say all the time. You know 419 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,080 Speaker 9: that Boone County school is for all of us. All 420 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 9: means that y'all means all. And I would love for 421 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:49,399 Speaker 9: you guys to take a stand on this and you know, 422 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 9: put the mask out to bed. Let the kids know 423 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 9: in this community that you have their backs, because that's 424 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,119 Speaker 9: what I expect of you guys, and I hope you 425 00:21:58,119 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 9: guys expect from yourselves. Thank you. 426 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:03,639 Speaker 4: We'll be right back with the board's response. After a 427 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:08,120 Speaker 4: short ad break after Amber spoke, President Karen Bird made 428 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 4: it clear that the school board had no influence in 429 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 4: making the change, and also that she had somehow lost 430 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:14,640 Speaker 4: my email. 431 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 3: That is all that we had signed up to speak tonight. 432 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 3: Normally we use this time as a time just to listen, 433 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 3: but since Tequila and we have a history here, I 434 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 3: will let you know you're in the right place working 435 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 3: with the site based council at Boone County High School. 436 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 3: This Board of Education has nothing to do with that 437 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 3: decision and how they make it in the process that 438 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:45,160 Speaker 3: they use. So my kids went to Boone County High School. 439 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 3: Miss Young's kids would be at Boone County High School 440 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 3: if yeah, yeah, So it's I understand both sides, but 441 00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:01,439 Speaker 3: that really is not our decision to make. That's the 442 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 3: school's decision to make. And I think with missus Black 443 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 3: at the helm, sometimes change doesn't come as a fast 444 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,479 Speaker 3: as we would want it to. But you know, if 445 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,359 Speaker 3: you need resources or if you need information, you know, 446 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 3: let us know. I tried to respond to your email 447 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 3: and I couldn't find it to let you know that 448 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:23,240 Speaker 3: you know, we would look forward to having you back 449 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 3: and having you here, but continue to work with the 450 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 3: council because that's where that change has to happen. Us 451 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 3: to do otherwise would be in violation of the laws. 452 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:41,719 Speaker 3: So okay, we will move on now with our consent 453 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:45,960 Speaker 3: agenda items Items A through h. 454 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,120 Speaker 4: H and that was it. They moved on to more 455 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 4: of their agenda. Seeing as how it was nearly ten 456 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:55,440 Speaker 4: o'clock we left. Waiting in the lobby was a group 457 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 4: of supporters all seeing the same thing. They've never seen 458 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 4: a meeting take that long time get to public comment. 459 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 4: Of course, thank you, I really appreciate. It was crazy, 460 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:18,200 Speaker 4: I mean, coming everyone has the bottom to the top, 461 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:22,560 Speaker 4: and I was like, I think you should be illegal 462 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:24,879 Speaker 4: for any woman you have to formn I PM and 463 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 4: they are pushing it. 464 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:27,720 Speaker 5: You should take them off on protest. 465 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:34,399 Speaker 4: You should, you can probably tell from our voices. But 466 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 4: the school board meeting left us all feeling pretty defeated 467 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:41,720 Speaker 4: and frustrated and exhausted and hungry and dreading the early 468 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 4: morning flights we all had to take to get back 469 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:46,959 Speaker 4: home for the holidays. I'm so disappointed in Boone County, 470 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 4: I really am, because you know, as we saw at 471 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:54,600 Speaker 4: the first board meeting we went to, they're willing to 472 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:58,200 Speaker 4: engage on certain things they feel confident talking about. And 473 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 4: to hear Karen Bird, the you know, the head of 474 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 4: the Board of Education basically say I can understand both 475 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:09,159 Speaker 4: sides of this issue. First of all, I don't even 476 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 4: know what the other side of the issue is that 477 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:13,240 Speaker 4: the Confederacy was a part of Kentucky, that we should 478 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:16,679 Speaker 4: have this mascot, like objectively, I plan to follow up 479 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 4: and be like, please explain it, Like I'm ten, what's 480 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 4: the other side of the issue. What is it that 481 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 4: you're a coward? So, I mean, that's really how I feel. 482 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,120 Speaker 4: I feel like there's so much cowardice at the heart 483 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:31,119 Speaker 4: of this community and the people who are elected to 484 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 4: represent the community. And so, you know, I'm really proud 485 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:38,439 Speaker 4: of what I said, and I still stand by everything 486 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 4: that I said there, but I am so saddened that, 487 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,920 Speaker 4: like this is just something that they clearly don't want 488 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 4: to lead on. And yeah, I also just felt like, 489 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:54,120 Speaker 4: of course, Barbara Brady I had left by that point. 490 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:55,879 Speaker 4: By the time I got to speak, the meeting was 491 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 4: so long, and everybody who's been going to the meeting said, 492 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 4: that's got to be intention Like, why why is it 493 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 4: almost ten pm when I'm speaking? It's crazy. But I'm 494 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:08,719 Speaker 4: glad that we went. I'm glad that we said it, 495 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:11,440 Speaker 4: and I don't think that this is the end of 496 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:16,320 Speaker 4: the conversation. Yeah, and it's nice to Amber and them 497 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 4: were there totally. I mean, like I was really glad 498 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:21,439 Speaker 4: that she was willing to speak and like in support 499 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:24,240 Speaker 4: of this in particular, Like, I know there's plenty of 500 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:27,239 Speaker 4: other issues going on in the school district, and you know, 501 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 4: you know, they have like ten minute presentation on accountability, 502 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 4: and they don't want to be accountable for this. It's 503 00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 4: very funny. It was so late when we got back, 504 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:45,360 Speaker 4: and I had a six am flight back to Los 505 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:47,960 Speaker 4: Angeles in the morning. I wish I could say that 506 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:51,760 Speaker 4: I felt anything other than exhausted and disappointed, but I didn't. 507 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 4: A mid December meeting meant that the holidays and winter 508 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,400 Speaker 4: break for the schools pushed any chance that we might 509 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:00,280 Speaker 4: hear back from the board or Principal Black while into 510 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 4: the new year. And if you think we heard back 511 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:06,040 Speaker 4: right away, you'd be wrong. Despite our offers of sharing 512 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:09,919 Speaker 4: our research in our contacts, the offer of help from BLDG, 513 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:12,920 Speaker 4: or the ground swell of locals helping to move things forward, 514 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 4: we didn't hear anything from the board or Principle Black. 515 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 4: We wrote them back in the new year, asking the 516 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:22,359 Speaker 4: principle for information on the process she'd promised in the 517 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 4: email before the meeting. No response. We wrote the board 518 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 4: for clarification on the legal question Karen had mentioned in 519 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:33,639 Speaker 4: her response in December. No response, though, we did hear 520 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:36,520 Speaker 4: back from the State Board of Education's legal person who 521 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 4: said that there was no law on the books of 522 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:40,960 Speaker 4: this nature and that while the board may defer to 523 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 4: a school based decision making body, there's nothing making it 524 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:47,359 Speaker 4: against the law for a board to step in. In fact, 525 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 4: that's exactly what happened in twenty twenty in Louisville, Kentucky, 526 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:53,920 Speaker 4: when the Jefferson County Public Schools Board asked all of 527 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:57,480 Speaker 4: its school based councils to reevaluate their mascots based on 528 00:27:57,560 --> 00:28:02,240 Speaker 4: a new eight question racial equity analysis protocol. And guess 529 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:04,920 Speaker 4: what one of those Jefferson County Public schools was called? 530 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:09,400 Speaker 4: You guessed it. The Atherton Rebels and now the Ravens 531 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:12,720 Speaker 4: thanks to the intervention of the school board, an intervention 532 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:17,360 Speaker 4: that was absolutely not illegal. Side note this is Jack 533 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 4: Harlowe's High school. The silence from the school and from 534 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:24,120 Speaker 4: the board stretched through January and into February, and then 535 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 4: something wholly unexpected happened. Mister Rebel came back. 536 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:34,520 Speaker 1: All right, here we are at Walgreens. 537 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 12: It is Groundhog Day, February second, twenty twenty four. 538 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:44,719 Speaker 4: We're going to go in here and look for some 539 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 4: offensive spirit wear. Our producer Dan got a text from 540 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 4: Leslie Chambers. It was a picture of a T shirt 541 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:54,400 Speaker 4: for sale at the Walgreens in town. It read Boone 542 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 4: County Rebels in generic collegiate style lettering and topping the 543 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:00,960 Speaker 4: logo was the head of the Air currently not retired 544 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 4: Confederate General, mister Rebel. 545 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:05,800 Speaker 10: All right, so I'll just go and get these socks, 546 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:09,280 Speaker 10: and then we'll go ahead and check the other Walgreens tomorrow. 547 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:12,560 Speaker 4: In fact, it was part of a whole line of 548 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:16,080 Speaker 4: mister Rebel clothes for sale at the local Walgreens, including 549 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:21,520 Speaker 4: T shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, and socks. Listener, I now own 550 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 4: a pair of mister Rebel socks because I had to 551 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:26,959 Speaker 4: see it to believe it. But here he is laughing 552 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 4: at me. And then a few weeks later we got 553 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:33,080 Speaker 4: a photograph of a Boone County wrestler on the winters 554 00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:36,960 Speaker 4: podium and who's on the warm up shorts? Yep, it's 555 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:41,320 Speaker 4: mister Rebel again. Mister Rebel was retired in twenty seventeen. 556 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 4: There were whole news reports about it and everything. 557 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:47,120 Speaker 7: Well, call me the Boone County Rebels will stay the 558 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:50,440 Speaker 7: Boone County Rebels, but the image of mister Rebel has 559 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 7: been gone from the jim floor for the long time. 560 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:56,840 Speaker 4: Mister Rebel will be retired. About thirty students have already 561 00:29:57,120 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 4: submitted ideas, and yet here in February twenty twenty four, 562 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:05,560 Speaker 4: seven years later, his mustache visage is once again staring 563 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 4: out at me. Six months into our work to get 564 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:11,200 Speaker 4: the team name changed for good, and now we're back 565 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:13,640 Speaker 4: fighting twenty seventeen's battles all over again. 566 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 10: Now. 567 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 4: The merch sold at Walgreens based on the tag is 568 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:20,000 Speaker 4: created by a company that supplies school merch to Booster Clubs, 569 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 4: arguably not the school itself, though it clearly reads that 570 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 4: proceeds go to Boone County High School. But how did 571 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 4: the third place finisher at the state wrestling Championships, a 572 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 4: black kid, I should add, end up wearing mister Rebel 573 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 4: on his leg. We reached out to Lance Melching, who 574 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 4: holds the double title of both Boone County High school's 575 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 4: athletic director and journalism teacher to find out. Our previous 576 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:47,080 Speaker 4: emails to him had always gone unresponded, but this time 577 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:51,240 Speaker 4: he wrote back right away again. I've asked a friend 578 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:52,080 Speaker 4: to read his email. 579 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:56,040 Speaker 1: Our policy has been that we are phasing out any 580 00:30:56,080 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 1: apparel slash, signage, slash etc. With the depiction of a 581 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 1: rebel character. That process is nearly complete, though some kids 582 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 1: and people still have some items. We have not ordered 583 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:10,840 Speaker 1: anything new with the depiction of the character since that 584 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:15,120 Speaker 1: process started. These shorts were found during a closet cleanout 585 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:18,120 Speaker 1: and evidently offered to some kids as an alternative to 586 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:21,720 Speaker 1: having them thrown out. Going forward, we will be disposing 587 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 1: of these kinds of items. Over the years, the school 588 00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:28,320 Speaker 1: has entered into various agreements with third parties who produce 589 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:32,560 Speaker 1: apparel for businesses. I've only found out about these agreements 590 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 1: when I have occasionally received a check from the proceeds 591 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:38,360 Speaker 1: and then inquired as to where it came from and 592 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 1: why the revenue from this particular vendor was not directed 593 00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:46,120 Speaker 1: towards the athletic department. So I was unfamiliar with them 594 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 1: until they reached out last week and were directed to me. 595 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:52,040 Speaker 1: At that time, we sent them a new logo. To 596 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 1: my knowledge, all of our vendors of this type have 597 00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:58,000 Speaker 1: our new marks that do not include any depiction of 598 00:31:58,040 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 1: a character. 599 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 4: What are the odds that just the week before we 600 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:06,080 Speaker 4: raised the issue, the company that made the Mister Rebel 601 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 4: merch reached out all on their own and they changed 602 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:12,320 Speaker 4: the logos. I hope someone in the email chain bought 603 00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 4: a lottery ticket. So here we are. We've been at 604 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 4: this for months and the only movement has been backwards. 605 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 4: Mister Rebel is back, though maybe only temporarily. The Rebel's 606 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:26,920 Speaker 4: name remains, and we've heard nothing from Principal Black about 607 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:29,479 Speaker 4: the process to define a process that she promised us 608 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:31,640 Speaker 4: was well under way in that email back in December. 609 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 4: Believe me, we've asked nine episodes in and we have 610 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:39,600 Speaker 4: basically nothing to show for it. Change is hard and slow, 611 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:44,200 Speaker 4: I know, but it's still frustrating and disappointing. So disappointing. 612 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:47,520 Speaker 4: I knew changing things in Florence would be hard, but 613 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:49,680 Speaker 4: what I didn't expect was that it would feel like 614 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:53,560 Speaker 4: we're fighting against not just local headwinds, but national ones too. 615 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:57,440 Speaker 4: As the country wound its way toward another presidential election, 616 00:32:57,560 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 4: cycle with Donald Trump at the top of the Republican ticket. 617 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:03,520 Speaker 4: The winds of change, especially the ones that blew in 618 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:06,640 Speaker 4: twenty twenty following the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, 619 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:09,880 Speaker 4: wins that blew away rebel team names across the country, 620 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:13,600 Speaker 4: brought equity initiatives to the foe and began, albeit slowly, 621 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:16,960 Speaker 4: to dismantle some of the systemic racism that defines the country. 622 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 4: Those winds were blowing the other way. 623 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 9: All right. 624 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 2: With a five to one vote, it was the Shenandoah 625 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 2: County School Board voting to restore the names of Mountain 626 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 2: View High and Honey Run Elementary to Stonewall, Jackson High 627 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:33,400 Speaker 2: and Ashby Lee Elementary. Those who voted in favor say 628 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 2: the twenty twenty board took shortcuts and made decisions without 629 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:40,239 Speaker 2: public opinion, arguing they ignored the people they represent. A 630 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 2: concerned resident argued, restoring these names is like going back 631 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 2: to nineteen fifty nine, a year they say rooted in 632 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:48,000 Speaker 2: mass resistance and jim. 633 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:50,400 Speaker 4: As we were getting nowhere in Boone County, things were 634 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:53,640 Speaker 4: happening a few hundred miles away in Shenandoah County, Virginia, 635 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:56,720 Speaker 4: where after removing the names of Confederate icons on their 636 00:33:56,760 --> 00:34:00,080 Speaker 4: schools in twenty twenty. The school board had voted just 637 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:02,240 Speaker 4: four years later to change them back. 638 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 11: I wanted to look back and find out when exactly 639 00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:09,400 Speaker 11: did all of this start, because this appears to be 640 00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:13,239 Speaker 11: the first school to be able to go back and 641 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 11: change his names after what happened during the George Floyd 642 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:19,280 Speaker 11: time period, back during the pandemic. 643 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:22,680 Speaker 4: This is Nathaniel Klein, an award winning journalist who has 644 00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:25,960 Speaker 4: written about the Shenandoah County School Board's decision to reverse 645 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:27,520 Speaker 4: the renaming of their schools. 646 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:30,040 Speaker 11: This could possibly be a blueprint if other school boards 647 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:32,920 Speaker 11: decided to do this down the road and change names 648 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:35,319 Speaker 11: back to it. If you know the story, it'll kind 649 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:37,120 Speaker 11: of talk about this resolution that was passed by the 650 00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:41,000 Speaker 11: Board of Supervisors, which is completely different from the school 651 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:44,840 Speaker 11: board in combating racism, and so they said, well, we 652 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:47,759 Speaker 11: need to take it a step further, and so they 653 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:50,160 Speaker 11: took that step back in twenty twenty one, you know, 654 00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:53,879 Speaker 11: and working on this story, you know, after the twenty 655 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:57,239 Speaker 11: twenty one decision, it was a slow build up of 656 00:34:57,280 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 11: that school board changing. 657 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:03,000 Speaker 4: The board now composed entirely of white members, includes one 658 00:35:03,080 --> 00:35:06,640 Speaker 4: member who praised Stonewall Jackson as a gallant commander. 659 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:08,680 Speaker 11: It wasn't just the changing of the names. There were 660 00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 11: other policy decisions being made by school boards across the country, including, 661 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:14,840 Speaker 11: you know, for the rights of transgender. 662 00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:15,960 Speaker 5: Students and. 663 00:35:17,520 --> 00:35:21,040 Speaker 11: Exactly exactly, and so eventually, once that school board kind 664 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:25,680 Speaker 11: of basically overhauled itself, you saw that backlash, backlash. 665 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:30,000 Speaker 4: So backlash to backlash, reaction to reaction was very. 666 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:31,960 Speaker 11: Quick to get everything back up. When I went out 667 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:34,759 Speaker 11: there for a visit, I didn't even I didn't You 668 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:37,440 Speaker 11: couldn't tell anything happened at all the last few years. 669 00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:38,799 Speaker 11: It was so quick. 670 00:35:38,920 --> 00:35:42,919 Speaker 4: Wow, the struggle for progress is far from over. Every 671 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:45,759 Speaker 4: school with a rebel mascot or a Confederate general's name 672 00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:50,480 Speaker 4: defies progress, decency, and the acknowledgment that Black Americans risk 673 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:54,400 Speaker 4: their lives to secure education for their children. We've learned 674 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:58,560 Speaker 4: that Confederacy based violence remains alive and well after Charlottesville. 675 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:01,840 Speaker 4: We explored how the scendants of enslaved people and slave 676 00:36:01,880 --> 00:36:05,879 Speaker 4: owners attended Boone County High School. Together. We discussed how 677 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:09,200 Speaker 4: even well meaning white people struggle to enact change due 678 00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:13,799 Speaker 4: to community pressure that mascots carry significant weight, capable of 679 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:18,160 Speaker 4: inspiring pride, but also perpetuating oppression and signaling how a 680 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:21,560 Speaker 4: community views black students. Now, at the end of all this, 681 00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:24,800 Speaker 4: you're likely beginning to understand why we titled this episode 682 00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:28,080 Speaker 4: so disappointing. At this point, given our lack of progress 683 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:31,600 Speaker 4: with the school board in BCHS, combined with the actual 684 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:35,160 Speaker 4: reversal of progress in places around the country, our journey 685 00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:40,400 Speaker 4: is truly feeling so, so so disappointing. Every episode of 686 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:43,120 Speaker 4: this podcast, I've tried to end with hope, to leave 687 00:36:43,160 --> 00:36:47,120 Speaker 4: you with a sense that change is really possible. But honestly, 688 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:50,160 Speaker 4: after everything that's happened since we were here in Florence 689 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:53,320 Speaker 4: in December, the lack of action from anyone there, and 690 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:57,680 Speaker 4: the sense that things aren't progressing but instead are regressing, 691 00:36:58,160 --> 00:37:02,040 Speaker 4: not just in Florence but everyone, I'm not sure I 692 00:37:02,120 --> 00:37:11,800 Speaker 4: believe it. Rebel Spirit is a production of Ninth Planet 693 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:15,799 Speaker 4: Audio and association with iHeart Podcasts. Reporting and writing by 694 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:19,400 Speaker 4: me Aquila Hughes. I'm also an executive producer and the host. 695 00:37:20,200 --> 00:37:23,160 Speaker 4: Produced by Dan Sinker, edited by Josie A. 696 00:37:23,239 --> 00:37:24,080 Speaker 3: Zahm Our. 697 00:37:24,120 --> 00:37:28,280 Speaker 4: Assistant editor is Jennifer Dean, music composed by Charlie Sun, 698 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:31,919 Speaker 4: Sound design and mixing by Josie A. Zahm Our. Theme 699 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:34,400 Speaker 4: song is All the Things I Couldn't Say, performed by 700 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:37,560 Speaker 4: Bussy and the Bass courtesy of Arts and Crafts Productions, Inc. 701 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:42,120 Speaker 4: Our production coordinator is Kyle Hinton. Our clearance coordinator is 702 00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:46,680 Speaker 4: Anna Sunenshine. Production accounting by Dill prit Singh. Additional research 703 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:50,560 Speaker 4: support from Janice Dillard. Emails read by Nicole Thurman and 704 00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:54,239 Speaker 4: Frank garcia Hile. Executive producers from Ninth Planet Audio are 705 00:37:54,280 --> 00:37:58,280 Speaker 4: Elizabeth Baklett and Jimmy Miller. Special thanks to Jay Becker 706 00:37:58,320 --> 00:38:02,120 Speaker 4: and the whole team at BLDG, the Florence y'alls, Amber Hoffmann, 707 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:05,560 Speaker 4: Hillary Delaney, and Leslie Chambers. If you have a racist 708 00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:08,000 Speaker 4: mascot at your high school, or are an alumni of 709 00:38:08,040 --> 00:38:10,440 Speaker 4: a high school with a racist mascot and want to 710 00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:14,120 Speaker 4: share your own experience, please email us at Rebelspirit podcast 711 00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:16,880 Speaker 4: at gmail dot com. We would love to hear from you.