Allen Central High School

Allen Central High School is a secondary school located in Eastern, Kentucky, U.S.A. It is the home of the Rebels, and is one of four public high schools in the Floyd County School system. The school colors are Columbian blue and gray; however, over time dark red has been added.

For the past 34 years, the school has displayed symbols of the Confederate States of America. A Confederate flag was displayed in the school gymnasium as recently as January 2007, [ [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=list&p_topdoc=81] Associated Press, "David-ACHS game postponed again", an article which appeared in "The Floyd County Times" January 21, 2007, archives description, accessed August 4, 2007] and the school mascot is a Confederate soldier who, as of late 2006, was featured in a sign at the entrance to the school ["Confederate symbols abide", article in "Cincinnati Enquirer", December 10, 2006] , as seen in a Google.com search of "Allen Central High School", accessed August 4, 2007] . A nearby courtyard features blue brick forming the Cross of St. Andrew, and a lobby mural features a rebel soldier carrying the flag on horseback. Other images of rebel soldiers and Confederate flags cover the same walls. [http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=17877] The Associated Press, "Ky. students embrace Confederate mascot, flag despite controversy", article dated December 9, 2006 as published on the Web site of The First Amendment Center, based in Arlington, Virginia and at the campus of Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, accessed August 4, 2007] The multiple images have stoked controversy, since many consider them to be racist symbols, both in Floyd County, in Kentucky, and elsewhere, although there is also plenty of support in the county for retaining the symbols. [ [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=list&p_topdoc=81] Prater, Kathy J., "Debate over Confederate flag continues", article in "The Floyd County Times", January 24, 2007, archives description, accessed August 4, 2007]

In December 2006, the David School, a private school in the same sports league as Allen Central, decided not to play a basketball game at the school because the David School considered the Confederate symbols a form of taunting, which is forbidden by the athletic league. [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/22/sports/NA_SPT_FBL_School_Confederate_Flag.php] Associated Press article, December 21, 2006, as it appeared in the "International Herald-Tribune" Web site, accessed August 4, 2007]

The Justice Resource Center in Louisville, Kentucky, a civil rights group, criticized the school's prominent displays of the Confederate flag at the school and at public events, and the head of the organization, the Rev. Louis Coleman, suggested that black members of nearby school sports teams should have the option of not participating in events where Confederate symbols are displayed. Coleman told the Associated Press that the flag creates "a very tense and negative atmosphere" for black student athletes.

Allen Central Principal Lorena Hall and many students at the school have defended the Confederate emblems, calling them symbols of strength, independence and pride. The school's use of the emblems "has nothing to do with racism," Hall told an Associated Press reporter. "It's a part of us."

Allen Central adopted the school flag and mascot in 1972, when four other schools were consolidated to form the high school. Students formed a committee and chose the mascot. The four previous schools and their mascots were the Maytown Wasps, the Garrett Black Devils, the Wayland Wasps and the Martin Purple Flash.

Notes

External links

* cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
year =
url = http://www.achs.floyd.k12.ky.us/
title = Allen Central High School
format =
work =
publisher =
accessdate = 2006-08-12
accessyear =

* cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
year =
url = http://www.ourrebelyears.com
title = Our Rebel Years Allen Central High School
format =
work =
publisher =
accessdate = 2006-09-30
accessyear =
* [http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SOU_CONFEDERATE_FLAG_KYOL-?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-12-09-12-10-19 Eastern Kentucky students hold onto Confederate school symbols]

* cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
year =
url = http://www.education.ky.gov/KDE/About+Schools+and+Districts/Kentuckys+Schools+and+Districts/High+School+Web+Sites.htm
title = Kentucky Department of Education
format =
work =
publisher =
accessdate = 2006-08-12
accessyear =