Hawks chosen to replace Rebels as new Hays High School mascot

Hays High School's current mascot, the Rebels, was voted out by the Hays CISD Board of Trustees last summer.

KYLE, Texas - Hays High School's mascot will officially be the Hawks beginning with the 2012-2022 school year after students voted it as their top choice. Current 9th through 11th graders who attend Hays High next year as well as middle school students in the Hays HS feeder pattern made the nominations and voted.

The top five choices that made the final selection besides Hawks were Raptors, Honey Badgers, Dragons, and Hornets. A total of 1,453 students voted and Hays CISD says the results were as follows (Officials say one student voted but did not provide an answer):

Hawks - 461
Raptors - 376
Dragons - 267
Honey Badgers - 191
Hornets - 157

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Students, parents address Hays CISD Board of Trustees over rebel mascot

The district received feedback from students, teachers, and the community who said the mascot was hurtful and had a hateful meaning behind it.

Officials say school colors will remain red and blue. The district will now select a logo and determine new branding which will include new student uniforms and new signage around the Hays High building.

The costs for the change has been estimated to be as high as $800,000. The bulk of the expenses, officials say, involve band and athletic uniforms which are replaced regularly on staggered schedules to spread out costs over multiple budget years. Other larger, one-time expenses will include replacing the school’s gym floor logos, equipment vehicles, and the front entrance marquee. The funding will come from the district’s operating budget or fund balance.

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In July 2020, the Hays CISD Board of Trustees decided to retire the Rebel mascot after many students and community members voiced a need for change because they said the mascot was a nod to the Confederacy.

In 2000, Hays CISD eliminated the use of the Confederate flag as the official school symbol. In 2012 the display of the flag was banned in all its entirety both in school and personally. In 2015, following the church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, "Dixie" was also removed as Hays High School's fight song.

Hays High School considering retiring school mascot

Hays CISD is proposing the change after releasing a statement earlier this month. If they vote to retire the rebel, they'll keep the name until a new mascot is decided at a later date.

A timeline for the implementation of the mascot change can be found here.