Vestavia Hills City Schools

Vestavia Hills City Schools
Location
Vestavia Hills, Alabama
Alabama
United States
District information
Type Public
Learning without limits
Grades K-12
Established 1970
Superintendent Sheila Phillips
Schools 8
Budget $69.6 million
District ID 0103430[1]
Students and staff
Students 6,762
Teachers 423
Staff 342
Other information
Website http://www.vestavia.k12.al.us/

The Vestavia Hills City School System is the school system of the Birmingham, Alabama, suburb of Vestavia Hills. Vestavia Hills City Schools serve 6,762 students and employ 765 faculty and staff.[2] The district includes five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school.

Student Profile

Vestavia Hills City Schools serve all students living within Vestavia Hills city limits. The student population is 83% white, 8% African-American, 5% Asian, and 3% Hispanic. Approximately 10% of students qualify for free or reduced price lunch. Two percent are English Language Learners (ELL), and 7% have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

Vestavia Hills City Schools have an overall graduation rate of 99%. Approximately 95% of Vestavia Hills students meet or exceed state proficiency standards in mathematics, and about 97% meet or exceed standards in reading.[3]

Schools

The system consists of eight schools: five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school.[4]

Elementary Schools

Middle Schools

High Schools

Mascot Controversy

The Vestavia Hills High School mascot, known as Rebel Man, represents a plantation owner.[5] The school "picked a Confederate Flag-waving Civil War Rebel because it saw itself as rebellious" in the context of the establishment of segregation academies in the 1970s, which enabled white American children to self-segregate from black children, who remained in public schools.[6]

In the wake of the Charleston church shooting in June 2015, The Birmingham News highlighted this racially charged history and called for a removal of the mascot.[6] Meanwhile, the school superintendent called it 'a "point of contention for some members" of the community.'[7] By early July 2015, some Vestavia Hills residents wrote an op ed in The Birminghan News calling on the school board to change its name.[8] By the middle of July 2015, comedian John Oliver made fun of the claim that it was "heritage, not hate" on national television.[5] He argued, "Your logo is a plantation owner. [...] And saying that the image of a plantation owner is not used in a racist way is a bit like arguing the Hitachi magic wand is only used as a back massager."[5]

The Vestavia Hills School System decided to keep the Rebels name but initiate a "rebranding" process.

References

  1. ↑ "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Vestavia Hills City". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  2. ↑ "Search for Public School Districts - District Detail for Vestavia Hills City". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-13.
  3. ↑ "Vestavia Hills City Schools - Niche".
  4. ↑ "Search for Public Schools - Search Results". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-13.
  5. 1 2 3 Kyle Whitmire, John Oliver ridicules Vestavia Hills for rebel mascot, The Birmingham News, July 13, 2015
  6. 1 2 John Archibald, Vestavia Hills Rebel mascot a vestige of racism, a smear on the city, The Birmingham News, June 23, 2015
  7. ↑ Ana Rodriguez, 'We will be responsive': Vestavia Hills to address Rebel mascot, superintendent says, The Birmingham News, June 23, 2015
  8. ↑ Vestavia residents: school board must change Rebel mascot, The Birmingham News, July 7, 2015

External links

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