Rebel banners at South Burlington High School Credit: File: Oliver Parini

School’s out, but the South Burlington Rebels saga is still in session.

The school district on Monday sought the dismissal of a lawsuit brought in June by supporters of the controversial Rebels moniker who want a public vote on the name change. In the filing, school district attorney Pietro Lynn argued that the school board had every right to make its decision, despite a successful petition drive by Rebel Alliance members who demanded the name change be decided by residents.

The “elected school board, not the electorate, has the authority to make operations and budgetary decisions and properly exercised its discretion in declining to put the Rebel name articles before the voters,” reads the motion filed in Vermont Superior Court.

The school board voted unanimously to drop the name on February 1 after critics called it divisive and tainted by racist associations with the Confederacy. Supporters saw it as a harmless and unifying tradition.

That group founded an advocacy group — the Rebel Alliance — and launched the petition drive as part of their bid to retain the name.

One petition asked for a vote on the name itself, while a second called for a prohibition on spending public funds to change the name. Students, and later the school board, voted on and approved the new mascot: the Wolves.

The board announced at a May meeting it would not put the questions to a vote, which triggered outrage. Rebel Alliance leaders called the decision cowardly and argued that it violated due process.

Four Rebels supporters filed the June lawsuit: Robert A. Skiff Jr., Benjamin E. Nye, Stacey Savage and Marcy Brigham.

“South Burlington Rebels were taught to fight for what they believed was right and to never give up, and we are continuing that proud tradition,” Savage, who serves as the Rebel Alliance spokeswoman, wrote in a press release shortly after filing the suit.

Savage on Monday did not immediately return a request for comment.

The district’s motion argued that the lawsuit asks the school district to hold a vote about a symbol that “many consider racist.” To retain such a symbol could alienate students and families, and put the district in violation of state and federal laws designed to prevent racism, the motion said.

On Monday, South Burlington High School principal Patrick Burke unveiled images of new sports jerseys, bearing the Wolves name, on Twitter.

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Molly Walsh was a Seven Days staff writer 2015-20.

8 replies on “South Burlington School District Fights Suit Over Rebels Petition”

  1. Next up, the Rebel Alliance sues Congress for passing laws rather than holding nationwide referenda.

  2. Changing the name was for a stupid reason, they have been known as the Rebels for decades!! So what is the difference? Wolves mame people to death and are violent too!!

  3. Ken Atwood, the word is maim. And wolves only maim people who invade their territory, as most humans do. The Rebel name was offensive to POC and firm opponents of the South’s legacy of racism. For years, the school used the confederate flag, as obvious a sign of racism as possible in this state. It is not stupid to allow POC to state their opposition to such a travesty. The school board is to be commended for its willingness to hear of the opposition and to address it rationally. To make such a fuss over a school nickname in the face of the horror of racism that has been on display in this country over the last several years shows a monstrous lack of empathy or a wilful blindness to the rights of others. I hope you’re happy in your little bubble.

  4. I have lived in Vermont all my life and that’s a long time.. Vermont was never called a racist state . We had all kind of people living here..white, black, brown, purple and green..think that’s the family of aliens from out of space, who lives on top of Camel Hump..They haven’t asked us to rename the mountain, thank goodness..
    The REBEL name is just what it is..a word.. it’s not racist, has nothing to do with the south. matter of fact the people who first came here from England were rebels.they wanted freedom, they fought hard to win..that’s what the word Rebel means to the students of SBHS for decades..it didn’t mean the south to them..but because one person said it was racist all the PC liberals joined in and said it was racists.. why didn’t they complain yrs ago..all of sudden now they are OFFENDED !!! Give me a break.. don’t think the school board remembers who pays them..What people needs to do..when it comes for reelecting..vote for new school board members..who aren’t PC..
    “The elected school board, not the electorate, has the authority to make operations and budgetary decisions and properly exercised its discretion in declining to put the Rebel name articles before the voters,” reads the motion filed in Vermont Superior Court…What is the school board afraid off????

  5. To be fair, Donna, the people who first came here from England were assholes. Just ask any Native American.

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