Texas high school athlete refuses to wear school name on her jersey. Here’s why
As statues of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee continue to come down across the nation, a movement to remove his name from a high school in Tyler, Texas is gaining momentum — thanks to a student-athlete’s actions.
Trude Lamb, a cross-country runner at Tyler Lee High School, is refusing to wear the athletic jersey that carries Lee’s name.
Lamb, who was adopted from Ghana, started a petition that has almost 10,000 signatures and, according to KETK, wrote a letter to the Tyler school district board of trustees, telling of her homeland’s ties to slavery.
“I have stood in the dungeons of the slave castle and seen the three foot urine and feces stains on the walls where my brothers and sisters were kept,” the letter states. “I’ve seen the tiny hole at the top of the ceiling where they would throw food in to the captured souls.”
She wrote that she loves the sports she plays, but won’t play sports for or attend a school “that was named after a person who was against my people right here in the United States. (Lee) owned slaves and didn’t believe people like me were 100% human.”
Hundreds of people — many wearing T-shirts that said “The Time Is Now” —attended Monday’s school board meeting, but no no board action was taken.
Earlier Monday, the school board president said in a statement that he “hopes the board can use the summer months to listen to input from the community and find a resolution,” the Tyler Morning Telegraph reported.
Standing with Lamb
“We Won’t Wear The Name” is a Facebook page that was sparked by Lamb’s stance of changing the name of the school.
“This group is used to update, encourage and empower TISD students, alum, parents, community members, and others of Confederate named schools who support no longer wearing on their backs or chests the names of leaders or those with significant links to the Confederacy,” the private Facebook group reads.
Laura Owens, Lamb’s mother, has expressed frustrations of the social media backlash that her daughter has received since voicing her opinion, KETK says.
“Some of the comments have been ‘I bet she being put up to this. I bet she’s being paid,’ things like that.” she said. “A small percentage have been encouraging and affirming, especially some from her teachers from Robert E. Lee; they’re amazing.”
Standing with Lamb is another athlete, Haftu Knight, who is an Ethiopian immigrant and 2019 Tyler Lee graduate, KETK reported.
“Trude is one of the best athletes at Tyler Lee right now,” Knight told the TV station. “I hope she knows that we are here with her. ... We’re not going to stop until the name is changed.”
Tyler Lee’s ties to the South
Tyler Lee’s student population is 40 percent white, 27.5 percent Black and 27 percent Hispanic, the Texas Education Agency reports.
The school dates back to 1958, when the then all-white school was named after the Confederate general, and its nickname was the Rebels. In the 60s, the school had a Rebel Guard, which was a group of seniors who wore Confederate uniforms and fired a cannon named “Ole Spirit” at sporting events, the Tyler Loop said.
The Tyler school district wasn’t desegregated until 1970, which was the same year the first effort to change the school name was presented to the school board, by a group called the Black Liberation Front. The board declined to do so.
In 1972, the school board, under orders from the Texas Education Agency, voted to get rid of Lee’s Rebel mascot, Confederate flags and the fight song “Dixie,” the unofficial anthem of the Confederacy, and other Confederate symbols, according to the Tyler Loop.
Other renaming efforts
Lamb isn’t the only one who advocating for change under the still-lingering shadow of Gen. Lee.
Courtney Ratliff, a Midland, Texas resident, created a petition to change the name of Midland’s own Lee High School. He is requesting that the petition only be signed by the school’s graduates and residents, reported NewsWest 9.
“For many, the name of the school, the mascot, and the Confederate symbols used to celebrate success have caused pain for decades and continues to do so,” the petition says.
Tyler and Midland are two of at least six public schools in Texas with the name Robert E. Lee or Robert Lee, while another 11 schools carry the name Lee, according to the TEA.
While the fight against police brutality and racial injustice continues in the wake of George Floyd’s death, protesters have now taken aim at what they say are symbols of America’s ugly past, including statues, monuments and schools, especially ones carrying the names of those who fought for the Confederacy or were slave owners.
A cultural shift to remove racist stereotypes is also being felt in the business world, with popular brands like Aunt Jemima’s breakfast products being retired from store shelves.
This story was originally published June 24, 2020 at 6:40 PM.