'A chance to right a wrong': Residents discuss school mascots at WFISD board meeting

Over about an hour, 23 people took the podium before the Wichita Falls ISD School Board Tuesday night to make their voices heard on mascots for the two new high schools opening in fall 2024.

Their opinions varied, but red and black, Old High jackets and a large stuffed toy coyote were in evidence among the crowd of over 75 people at the School Board meeting. Trustees took no action on mascots Tuesday night.

Mark and Luelen Hood of the Save the Mascots group were the first up at the podium.

They said their plan would preserve tradition, save money and use the mascots of the three existing high schools — Wichita Falls High School Coyotes, Rider High School Raiders and Hirschi High School Huskies — and the long-closed Booker T. Washington High School Leopards.

"Our goal with this plan is to represent every school and appeal to the vast majority," Luelen told trustees.

After they spoke, the audience burst out into applause and hooted and hollered.

Superintendent on mascots: 'The Board will continue to listen to the community'

But there were other speakers with a much different viewpoint.

Tyral Colbert, a McNiel Middle School educator, urged the School Board to stick with their previous decisions for new mascots and new names for the two new high schools.

"Your idea of new names, new mascots, new colors gives the kids of today a chance ... to right a wrong in this district," said Colbert, who was a member of the School Naming Committee.

The committee gave School Board members input on names for the new schools now under construction — Wichita Falls Legacy High School and Wichita Falls Memorial High School.

The district also called on the committee to help come up with choices for mascots and school colors for the new schools.

Colbert said it's no secret that WFISD schools are not integrated. McNiel and Rider are predominantly white, he said.

WFHS and Barwise Middle School are mostly Hispanic, and Kirby Middle School and Hirschi are predominantly Black, Colbert said.

"There's no true integration in that," he said.

Colbert said WFISD kids want the chance to do something that failed to happen 50 years ago when Booker T. Washington High School closed.

The high school on the east side of town was shuttered in 1969 as part of an attempt to integrate WFISD.

Colbert told trustees to keep their plan as it is, and if they do make a change, take Leopards off the list of possible mascots.

“So therefore there is no reusing of a name. It’s all new, and these kids get a chance, an opportunity to do exactly what needs to be done and integrate and build an inclusive environment," he said.

Jessica Edwards, a businesswoman and transplant to Wichita Falls, said her sons told her that they don't care what the mascots are.

Edwards brought up the issue of possible trademark infringement on Wile E. Coyote.

She was drowned out by groans and no's from the audience.

At that point, WFISD Superintendent Mike Kuhrt said he would have people interrupting speakers removed if needed.

“I hope whatever decision is made, is made because it’s the best decision for the children in the district," Edwards said.

Joey Aboussie, who was on the 1969 state championship Coyotes football team, said there was a lot of emotion wrapped up with mascots.

More: Group comes up with a plan for Wichita Falls ISD's high school mascots

But schools dream of having the kind of tradition that WFISD schools have, he said.

Aboussie said in September 2007, the Coyotes "received an amazing award and incredible recognition from Texas Monthly.”

The magazine named the Coyotes the No. 1 high school football team in the history of the state.

“Why abandon that kind of tradition and pride?" Aboussie, All-American Coyotes running back, said.

He said he is in favor of Rider High School becoming Booker T. Washington Middle School Leopards and Hirschi becoming Hirschi Middle School with the Huskies mascot.

Aboussie said he thinks Legacy should adopt the Coyotes as a mascot, and just the Raiders — not the Rider Raiders — should be the nickname for Legacy.

His wishes track with the plan from Save the Mascots group members except that they support naming Legacy's mascot the Rider Raiders.

The group's online petition had 8,296 signatures by Wednesday afternoon.

Those attending Tuesday's meeting included some familiar faces in the public life of Wichita Falls such as former state Sen. Craig Estes, who spoke in support of using the four historical mascots in WFISD.

Trustees' plan calls for having two equal high schools with new names and mascots. The new high schools are to replace Rider, Old High and Hirschi.

Rider and Hirschi are slated to become middle schools, and Old High is expected to retire once the new schools open, according to their plan.

But how to use schools has been an ongoing discussion at School Board meetings.

On Dec. 7, trustees chose finalists for mascots for the two new high schools.

For Memorial, they were narrowed down to the Mavericks and the Titans. Legacy finalists are the Falcons, Leopards and Lions.

Students in the second through ninth grades are expected to vote on final recommendations for mascots and colors for the new schools.

More: Petition seeks to keep Old High legacy of Coyotes mascot, colors 'alive for another century'

Trish Choate, enterprise watchdog reporter for the Times Record News, covers education, courts, breaking news, politics and more. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Her Twitter handle is @Trishapedia.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: WFISD board meeting packed for mascots' issues