Civil Rights Discrimination Criticism filed in opposition to Franklin County Faculty | Name four Motion

By Last updated Feb 4, 2021

A civil rights discrimination complaint has been formally filed against the Franklin County High School Board and its principal with the State Department of Education.

News 4 has been following this story for eight months. A black woman reached out to our Call 4 Action team after starting a petition to change the rebel colonel mascot at her former high school.

It’s a fight that has been going on ever since. The battle was filled with school council meetings and community events.

“One thing I have come to realize as an individual is that silence is complicit,” said Chris Colane, a Franklin County resident.

This encouraged Colane to file a 62-page civil rights discrimination complaint from News 4 against the Franklin County School Board and the school principal.

“I feel like I am now with the current events in our country. Maybe now is the time when another thick layer of that onion has to peel off, ”said Colane.

Colane was one of several people who went before the Franklin County School Board in October asking them to remove the Colonel Rebel mascot, the Dixie Fight song and the school seal that Colane “resembles the Confederate flag” in their complaint.

“I requested that too, and they had four months to do it. That they form a committee to teach what systemic racism is within the school system. What it looks like and raise awareness of systemic racism in the school system and they haven’t, ”said Colane.

A woman fighting to change the rebel mascot at Franklin County High School believes the school board is stalling on a decision.

The complaint also alleges that board members “failed to respond to calls, emails and letters” and allegedly “failed to follow protocol and guidelines at public school council meetings”.

News 4 first told you about Shanae Williams in June 2020, a former Franklin County High School graduate who started a petition

CHANGE THE REBEL MASCOT Change.Org Petition

“Whenever I first submitted the petition, as Chris said, there was a protest. For Black Lives Matter. So I said if Black Lives Matter, let’s show it. And that’s exactly what I asked the board of directors, ”said Shanae Williams.

“We addressed and discussed all questions about the mascot. And the vote was taken and the vote was 5 to 3, ”said Headmaster Stanley Bean.

Bean told News 4 that the vote took place in October and that some disagreed. Still, the district and board members answered all questions about their complaints.

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) – The Franklin County School Board has decided to keep the rebel as the mascot of Franklin County High School.

News 4 asked Bean if the school district had ever established a training or class on racial sensitivity.

“Uh, no, we haven’t. I’ve spoken to some people who have come to discuss this. Kind of linked to Black History Month, ”said Bean. “Like many other school systems, we try to keep our heads above water. We have made a lot of changes that have been made to our education system here in the county that have just put things on hold, “said Bean.

Despite the vote, Colane stated that the dissenting board members never gave a reason or explanation for their vote.

The Ministry of Education says the investigation has not yet been completed, but cannot comment on it.

News 4 reached out to every board member by phone or email, and none responded to our inquiries.

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