Franklin High to Change Mascot

From WCS inFocus

Franklin High to Change Mascot

Franklin High School will soon have a new mascot.

A committee composed of district administrators and Franklin High faculty, students, school leaders and community members has made a recommendation to Superintendent Jason Golden for the name change.

“The FHS committee reviewing the Franklin Rebels mascot has recommended that I remove the mascot and nickname from Franklin High School effective immediately,” said Golden. “I have reviewed the details of their recommendation and concluded that it’s time for this change. Franklin High School has a long history of excellence that started during the school’s early decades when they were known as the Pioneers and has continued through more recent times. I look forward to the FHS community finding that next mascot and to their continued excellence as one of the top high schools in the State of Tennessee.”

Franklin High will now move forward in collecting mascot suggestions.

“The next step in this process involves FHS Principal Dr. Shane Pantall working with his school community to establish a new nickname and mascot for Franklin High,” said WCS Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools Dr. Leigh Webb.

Suggestions will be collected through the Franklin High Mascot Suggestion Form and will be accepted until August 5 at 3 p.m. Those making a suggestion should include a rationale for their submission.

“We want input from students, teachers and community members as we work to create new traditions and a welcoming community,”said FHS Principal Dr. Shane Pantall.

“We want input from students, teachers and community members as we work to create new traditions and a welcoming community,” said Pantall.

A committee formed from parents, students and administrators from Franklin High will review the submissions and choose the top three names. Once the top three names are selected, students will have an opportunity to offer feedback and vote on which mascot they prefer. The school principal will then review the votes and make the final decision.

31 COMMENTS

  1. I highly suggest the PIONEERS! That’s what it was in the beginning why not go back ! Surly that CANT OFFEND anyone! I was class of 80 my Mom class of 58 my Dad class of 57 my Grandfather class of 35 my Aunts 56 , 60 and 61. Cousins 76. My own children 2005 , 2008 and 2010. I would like my grandchildren to go but right now I’m not very proud of FHS. I had and all my children had Mr Pantall who was so Awesome let’s see if his son can live up to just half of his name. So far he’s LOSING!!!!!!!!! Very Badly

  2. Why ask for input now when you didn’t before the change? I am so ashamed of this so called committee for not putting this to a vote. The mascot has been gone but the Rebel name should have endured. Chose whatever you like it will always be REBEL to me.

    • 3 generations! Parents,aunts, uncles,siblings and my own children graduated from FHS. I am sooooo disappointed and ashamed that old Franklinites, Williamson co and even Shane Pantall which is a FHS graduate himself would even consider this! We have let people come in from other areas and other states to dictate and be OFFENDED by a mascot name. Well I’ve got news for all of you that are behind changing the name, its not changing all the crazy crap going on in the world. And it won’t stop here. It will be something else that’s offensive after this is accomplished! My family have been FHS REBELS since the 1960’s and will always be REBELS. I know my vote doesn’t matter but I think whatever Name you decide, it’s going to offend someone. I think you’re messing with history and Making a bad decision
      GO REBELS!!!!!!!

  3. What about the Franklin Frankfurters. You could have a festive hot dog or I guess it could an aggressive one if you’re into that but I’d think that’s more of a brat than a hot dog. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

  4. Great news! FHS was a great school (CLASS OF 2001!!) and I am proud of this moment of reflection and change of direction. Providing a safe space for students is essential and all though this is just a name change, it is important.

    • RIDICULOUS!!! This makes a so sense! Why are the “ imports” doing this to OUR city???? If they don’t like “our” ways then leave!!!! They have ruined in here!!! They come in , invade, and want to change things in OUR town back to ways in the places they all fled!!!! If the “ intruders” don’t like it… GO and GO NOW!!! Sick to death of this crap!!!!

  5. This is so sad and disrespectful to those that were FHS REBELS. You can’t please everyone so why are you letting outsiders make this decision for you. These are not people who have lived here all there lives. Why didn’t the name change when we integrated with Natchez’s no one was offend then. We now how very weak people in charge. If you are one of them to bad for you .So Disappointed it used to be the best now its just a sad school in Williamson county.

    • Outsiders aren’t making this decision. I’ve lived in Franklin my whole life and attended FHS for all 4 years of high school. Several alumni from my grade, alumni from other years, and current students have signed petitions and pushed for this change. FHS is far from being “a sad school in Williamson County”. Seems awfully melodramatic to say this over a name change. FHS is a great high school that offers many programs and opportunities other schools across the county and state fail to match. The average ACT score from FHS students is several points higher than the TN and national averages. The vast majority of students taking AP exams are passing them. I’ve met and maintained lifelong friends from that school and have fond memories of my time there. Don’t insult our intelligence and rationale behind wanting this change. The root and intent of the rebel name is tied to the confederacy, which fought against the United States to maintain slavery. It should go without saying, that this is an offensive and unwelcoming mascot that has no place in the modern day.

  6. I escaped California to be rid of the politically correct garbage of the Left. But the way the governor, school board and city leaders have pandered to the mob and “experts” throughout the Covid crisis and BLM charade has been a disgrace to America, TN, it’s history, our liberty and majority opinion. Wake up people. At some point the silent majority has to take a stand against the bullies. Stop fearing what people will think about you. That’s how we got here. Our leaders are more afraid of being called names than they are about serving their actual constituents. Vote out the cowards and start speaking out.

  7. Change the logo from a confederate rebel to a Star Wars rebel. I don’t think it will offend any non earthlings out there.

  8. How many people think that just because the Franklin High Mascot was “Rebels” that the people there had any animosity toward people who were not “Rebels”.
    All our fans wanted was for Franklin’s Team to win their Athletic Contests over whoever we were playing. Now, should issue be taken over that? Now, should our Teams just lay down when playing them so they won’t be offended if they Lost? This “Political Correctness” has absolutely gone too far. We have never had any problem with this stuff. Our Heritage is what brings Tourists and migrants to Franklin to visit and live. This is our “History” and should not be erased.

    • Replace Franklin with “Germany” and “Rebels” with “Nazis” in your comment, how does that sound? Hopefully, you realize how foolish wanting to maintain the name “rebels” looks now. The confederacy was an attack on the United States in order to maintain slavery. Supporting ties to the confederacy in 2020 is fundamentally anti-American. The Americans that fought against the confederacy, won. Why would you want a losing army, who fought for a horrible cause, to represent the bright and accepting students of this high school? The confederate flag has never been recognized as an official US federal flag and the confederacy itself only lasted 4 years. In the same way that it would be offensive to Jewish people for German high schools to have mascots called “nazis” and waving around the nazi flag, the confederate flag and “rebel” name have connotations that are offensive and unwelcoming to people of color. Franklin rebels represent the confederate soldiers directly. Their mascot resembles one today, their old mascot was called “Johnny Rebel” and wore confederate soldier garb. Johnny Rebel was featured in yearbooks and on school apparel. The FHS flag used to just be the confederate flag. It’s time to move past the 1800s and progress a little instead of crying over “political correctness”.

  9. If you go back to the Pioneers then we will have to deal with the harm done to Native Americans during Manifest Destiny. Best to go with an animal like Falcons. Peregrine falcons are the fastest bird in the world.

  10. Why do rebels have to be associated with the confederacy? Rebels were the founding fathers. Rebels fight against a tyrannical system. Rebels destroyed the death star.

    I would understand if it was the Franklin Confederates, but it’s not.

    So what’s so bad about rebels?

    • Because the rebels at FHS stand for the confederate rebels. Not the founding fathers, not the rebels that destroyed the deathstar. You can find images online of the confederate flag used in old FHS yearbooks and the school flag itself used to be the confederate flag. They used to include a cartoon of a confederate soldier mascot, “Johnny Rebel”, on school branding and apparel, but they haven’t done this in recent years. However, their mascot at sporting events still looks like a stereotypical confederate rebel. While some of the overt ties to the confederacy have been removed, the origin and idea behind the Franklin Rebels is heavily tied to a very wrong and racist part of history.

  11. Change it to something without a backbone.

    I’m a citizen of Franklin. But my son is in high school in Southern Indiana. And still a Rebel. His school also has the Rebels as their mascot. It’s a non issue there. No one is offended. And no one has considered changing it.

    I suppose we could use the word renegade if that’s less offensive. However, at some point common sense should come into play. We live in a unique place. There are dead soldiers here. From both sides of a war over 150 years ago. They were both fighting for what they believed in. That’s ultimately the definition of a rebel. Stop trying to erase them. Pay some respect. Whoever made this decision needs to be replaced.

    How bout instead of catering to the opposition, the opposition opens their minds to a forward way of thinking, and realize we all agree. That the people from 150 years ago might have been ignorant in the literal sense of the word. That they didn’t know any better? And why is it this HAS to be viewed as offensive? Perhaps the change that needs to be made is the opposition stepping into this century and viewing this mascot simply for what it is in the modern day. As a representation of someone who goes against the greater opposition, to fight for what they believe in. That’s nothing anyone should be offended by or ashamed to be. Jesus was a rebel by the way. Argue with that one. It’s evident and ironic, that the people making this decision don’t embody that spirit. They folded at the first sign of opposition. Franklin can obtain all the awards it wants, but if it doesn’t make the right decisions to retain its character, it will lose exactly what makes it appealing and unique. And sell out. Just like Nashville’s already done.

  12. Please leave the name alone. It means so much to so many!! Grow a backbone to show you respect the many that passed through the halls of that beloved school. Surely, they matter more than the few protesting.

  13. My mother and her two sisters all attended FHS. My mother graduated in 1938. My brother, my sister, and I attended FHS. Our three of our sons attended FHS. I was a member of the Class of 1958 and we were the first class to graduate from FHS on Hillsboro Road. I don’t ever remember any of my relatives, mother, siblings or anyone else telling me or stressing that the name Rebels affiliated us with any Confederate issues. It was just a name to us. I was interested in the Civil War and chose to read about it. Families were torn apart when one member supported the Confederacy and one supported the Union. The Union won the war. So how can the name Rebels conjure bad thoughts. The only Rebel we were interested in 1958 was Marlon Brando who stared in the movie Rebel Without a Cause. I heard George Lindsey, who played Goober on Mayberry, while eating at Dotson’s tell some tourists who evidently asked him for directions “to go up about two more blocks and go around the Square with the statue to the “Losers” in the middle. So, maybe the statue does not have the importance as a political statement today as some seem to think. Maybe, it is simply a statue to the men and women both white and black who died or fought for what they thought was correct. Finally, if I have a vote I would vote to leave FHS’ mascot name as Rebels unless someone could convince me otherwise. I am just glad that I live in America where I can express my thoughts. Freedom of Speech gave me the right to voice my opinion; it did not give me the right to riot. And finally, I could not find the form on the name change issue we were suppose to complete to be submitted. Another example of WCS’ lack of leadership. Joey Davis DELETE PRIOR INCOMPLETE POST

  14. I am a graduate from FHS Class of 1974. What a crime to change our Rebel Mascot image! Never bothered the football, baseball, basketball teams, cheerleader or the MANY multi-colored (white/black/red,white&blue citizens) parents/friends/or peers cheering these teams on during winning or defeated seasons for all these many long years. My Mascot for my FHS will remain “Rebels” no matter what!

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