Hamlin Middle School students used to call themselves the "rebels" but on Thursday The Corpus Christi Independent School District removed the mascot and logo after concerns from parents.
CCISD followed a national trend to do away with public displays celebrating the confederacy.
Several confederate statues across the U.S. were removed this year and many schools have debated changing their namesake and mascots including Robert. E. Lee High School in San Antonio.
And it didn't take long for the community to think of what the next mascot should be.
"A panther," parent Ralph Perez said. "I don't think there's any panthers in town."
Some parents said they weren't aware there was an issue with the rebel in the first place.
"It doesn't really matter to me cause i didn't see it as controversial but people make it controversial," parent John De La Paz said.
Some said they understand why the mascot could be upsetting.
"What people don't think about is what it might be for an African American child who's mascot is a confederate rebel," Perez said."
Others said they don't associate this rebel mascot with the south and the civil war, but see why others would.
"If it was a confederacy and people have a problem with that then we just learn from it. It's history," De La Paz said.
But some said the change came at a perfect time.
"I think it's not such a bad idea to change it to make it more palatable for everybody else," parent Marinus VanHaut said.
The school asked the community to be involved in the naming of the new mascot. They will design concept logos and let students, parents, and staff vote for their favorite.
When the new mascot is chosen, it will be presented for final approval to the board of trustees.
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