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“We wanted to change the mascot because we all felt that the name, background and the mascot costume offended many students on campus,” said recent graduate Joshua Collier, former president of the Black Student Union.
In 1995, a local NAACP official asked the school district to ditch “Johnny Reb,” saying it divided the student body. The school later removed all Confederate flags and swords from the mascot’s imagery and redesigned its letterhead, according to the newspaper.
The decision came just over a week after the body of a 24-year-old black man, Robert Fuller, was found hanging from a tree outside Palmdale City Hall, about 12 miles away, the Los Angeles Times reported. Fuller’s cause of death remains under investigation, according to the newspaper.
Quartz Hill released statement:
“Quartz Hill High School places a high value on creating an atmosphere of acceptance, respect and love for all students. Our school’s vibrant history includes the stories of more than fifty years of graduates who have left our classrooms to positively contribute to the world. We are immensely proud of both our current student body and the alumni who continue to represent our core values.
“The more recent events that have transpired locally and across the world have resulted in a sincere reflection on our core values as an institution and the way in which we represent those values to our community. It is abundantly clear that we can no longer continue to use the rebel mascot to represent our school community. Effective immediately, the Rebel mascot and the Rebel name will no longer be used at Quartz Hill High School. This unique moment in our school history will be the catalyst to create a more unifying, inclusive culture for the future generations of students.
“Over the next several weeks, students and staff at Quartz Hill High School will work collaboratively to select a new mascot to represent the spirit of our beloved school.”