Juanita High Mascot Is Removed

This Tuesday, Superintendent Jon Holmen removed Juanita's mascot - the "Rebels."  After listening to numerous students opposing the mascot as racist, the entire School Board agreed this action must be taken without delay.  Below, are excerpts from minutes of the 6/22 School Board meeting:

"Board member Mark Stuart felt it was important to address this tonight to help to heal the deep and gaping wound in the community. He conveyed he grew up in a racist and segregated state and didn’t like what he experienced which propelled him to work in media/public relations. He was shocked when he moved into the area to see Rebel mascot. This change would still provide the administration to develop the process to implement the change. Due to the seriousness of this situation, he felt that tradition needs to be changed and didn’t want to delay it.

Board member Cassandra Sage related that her children are alumni from Juanita High School. In 2018, when the process was implemented to change or affirm the mascot, she did not understand the pain and feelings surrounding the mascot. Policy can be drafted to create systemwide changes and address equity issues so that it will permeate the system and create effective change."

-- School Board Business meeting minutes, 6/22/20200