JOHNSON: A Rebel with a cause - to be one no longer

By Bill Johnson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Originally published 12:30 a.m., February 29, 2008
Updated 01:23 a.m., February 29, 2008

And a child shall lead them.

The child, in this case, is named Chris Strudwick, a 16-year-old junior at South High School in Denver, who may have pulled off - and pulled down - what some grown-ups hinted or insisted he likely never would. He may be on the verge of getting rid of Johnny Rebel.

The possible demise of the decades-old mascot was triggered several weeks ago during a discussion with a couple of friends about athletes at the school getting new team uniforms, Chris Strudwick said.

"He (Johnny Rebel) and the Confederate flag are viewed by a lot of people as two symbols of racism, you know," he told his pals.

Get out, they replied. We should do something about it, he told them. It set into motion a student walkout that would occur the following day.

Chris Strudwick said at least 300 students walked out . . . "Some teachers stood in their doorways and clapped."

The actual fate of the mascot, though, has not been determined.

Alex Sanchez, a Denver Public Schools spokesman, said Principal William Kohut and other administrators are supportive of students' desire to change the mascot, but discussions are ongoing.

Included in those talks are proposals to change the rebel character's "look and feel" without eliminating it.

"They are looking to maybe change its overall design and the colors, things like that. No firm decision has been made," Alex Sanchez said.

He knew of Johnny Rebel even before attending the school, Chris Strudwick said. "From the time I was a freshman, kids would talk about it, of how with so much diversity in the school, we should have a mascot that is representative of the student body."

That's Chris, said his father, Lindsey Strudwick, 59, Denver's director of right-of-way enforcement.

"Chris," his mother, Nancy, said, "is an intelligent, kind and good person . . . who just decided he would be a leader."

When he told his parents of his plan, they told him that if he felt so strongly, he should go for it, that he would never know if he could be successful unless he tried. Make sure, though, his father told him, to have his facts in order, to realize that risks were involved and to be prepared to accept any consequences that followed.

"To me, I see that image, and it still brings back bad memories of my upbringing in the South," Lindsey Strudwick said. He made his son research Johnny Rebel and write an essay.

Chris Strudwick then decided on the walkout.

"He gets it from my mother," Lindsey Strudwick said, "who for decades was involved in the civil rights struggle in North Carolina and, even today at age 86, still is."

Chris would accompany her on summer breaks all around Durham, Lindsey Strudwick said, "to council meetings and various other gatherings, fighting for things. He is a child I am very proud of."

Plans for the walkout three Thursdays ago initially were circulated by word of mouth. And soon, Chris Strudwick said, kids began text-messaging everyone they knew: "At 11:20 a.m., third period, we're all going to walk out."

He and the others were met in the hallway by Principal William Kohut.

"This mascot serves only as the support of racism," he said he told the principal. "Look around at the diverse faces here. That mascot is the total opposite of what South represents."

The principal, he said, agreed.

The biggest point of contention, Chris Strudwick said, is removal of the mascot from the front hallway floor, which would require school district and other approvals because the building is designated a historic landmark.

More than 300 students in recent weeks have signed petitions to have the mascot removed from the floor, Chris Strudwick said. He expects more than 700 will have signed before they present them to the school district.

"Once people found out what the mascot stood for, they really came out in support of what we are doing," he said.

The design team, he said, is a mixture of University of Denver and South High students, who are in the process of drawing up different versions of a new mascot, the winner to be determined by a vote of the student body.

Chris Strudwick insists he has done nothing special. What amazes him, he says, is it took a 16-year-old junior to get it done.

"You would think this school, with its diversity - a melting pot in the true sense of those words - alumni or the administrators would have looked around and been as sensitive to it. Universities and a few pro teams, even, have done this.

"But no one," Chris Strudwick said, "took charge of it.

"I had to say, 'I'll do it.' "

johnsonw@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2763

• March 1, 2008

  5:53 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  HistoryMan writes:

  It's interesting that at such a young age a child has already absorbed such a politically correct upbringing. I'm just curious -is U.S. history being taught at the school? Has he read a history book? Why is "Johnny Rebel" necessarily a symbol of racism? 94% of the "Johnny Rebels" I've read about didn't own slaves and were fighting to defend their homes. I can't think of anything more honorable than that. The U.S. Congress has recognized Confederate soldiers as deserving of all the honors and respect of other American soldiers.

• March 1, 2008

  8:07 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  StuntJim writes:

  That's ridiculous, The school is a landmark. The Mascot is part of that landmark. Purple and White, Fight - Fight - Fight. Johnny Rebel was a fighter, a confederate soldier, and the powers that be need to stand up and be strong just like he was. Don't change a mascot of a great school like South High, PLEASE.

• March 1, 2008

  12:47 p.m.

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  DCW78 writes:

  So, a suburban school like Columbine can be the Rebels, but Denver SOUTH High can't? It's not politically correct? I am a proud third generation Rebel. My Grandparents were in the first graduating class in 29, my Great Aunt was class of 34, my Father the class of 55, my Uncle the class of 58, my Aunt the class of 68, I was class of 78, and my brother was class of 81. I agree with StuntJim above when he correctly states that South High School is a landmark, and the mosaic in the main hall is a part of that landmark. There is too much history in that school to begin taking bits and pieces out of it. When I was a senior, there was talk of changing the mascot to the penguins. The students of that time were not afraid to oppose a politically correct substitute for an historic mascot, and overwhelmingly defeated the proposition. I hope todays students can stand up for history once again, and oppose political correctness in favor of history.

• March 1, 2008

  3:14 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  PoP writes:

  The whims of the few are destroying this country... Oops...Sorry, big brother has done that already!

  Chris Strudwick is an excellent example of the "we want" crowd ! What about what other people want!?

  Tommy Aaron

• March 1, 2008

  3:23 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  glna976 writes:

  I graduated in 1978 and I have never heard of anyone thinking that South High School was an example of racism. We were proud that we were the Johnny Reb's and was never ashamed to show it. How can one person change what is a part of history. What about all of the alumni that graduated from their and were PROUD to be a Johnny Reb, I still am today.

• March 2, 2008

  1 p.m.

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  sdykema writes:

  I am surprised it took this long. I am opposed to the "rebel" being disposed of. But if the confederate battle flag is still being used it needs to go. It represents oppression and slavery. Bottom line. When I see a cracker with it on their truck or on thier home I want to punch a light out for thier stupidity. But that is just me. Peace out.

• March 2, 2008

  2:48 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  brymjemz writes:

  I also graduated class of 1978. I agree with Chris Strudwick that it is time for the mascot to be revamped. I remember there was talk of changing it when I was a proud student at South High. At the time I was opposed, because in my young and inexperienced mind, it was harmless. I would like to think I have grown a lot in the last 30 years, and I no longer see the confederate flag or any support of the rebel cause as benign. In a school as diverse as South High, the mascot should represent everyone. I am happy to see that the students at South today are not going to wait three decades to wake up and smell the racism. We can keep the purple and white, and we can be rebels, but lets lose the blinders and do the right thing. I support Chris 100%.

• March 3, 2008

  11:53 a.m.

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  patriot1861 writes:

  It's a real shame that these kids are being brainwashed into associating the Confederate Flag with nothing but slavery and racism. "Chris Strudwick said at least 300 students walked out . ."...unfortunately, I think that these kids would have walked out of class to contest a ban on chewing gum...I remember what it was like. Any chance to get out of the class room.

  The teachers are failing students all around this country when it comes to the study of the War Between the States and the liberal media and teachers are teaching them that the Confederate soldier was evil, when all he was trying to do was defend his homeland and fight for the principals of the Constitution. Please don't give in to the PC revisionism and eradication of culture. Keep the mascot and the flag!

• March 7, 2008

  10:56 p.m.

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  juli writes:

  Johnny Rebel was a fighter...GO TEAM GO...
  He dates back to the school's 1929 graduating class...history is so important... why should a small number of students try to change the historic mascot thus disproving South High's past years of standing as a top high school...these students should be using their energies for the peace of America instead of defacing Johnny Rebel...Posted by Kathryn/mother of SHS grad/class of '78

• March 22, 2008

  10:25 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  juli writes:

  Could Chris Strudwick possibly be referring to "Johnny Rebel"...the pseudonym of segregationalist singer CJ "PeeWee" Trahan? This Johnny Reb was known for his racist recordings in the 60's...Our SHS Johnny Reb mascot a racist?? I think not! A history lesson Chris: Johnny Rebel was the slang term for ANY Confederate soldier during the American Civil War. In the south today, the name is occasionally used for romanticized freedom fighters in lyrics & movies. Confederate history is American history. Many of the troops & officers were of Mexican & Spanish descent. Maybe Chris & the very diverse, international student body of SHS today should embrace tradition & US history for what it is; over the current fad of trying to be "politically correct."
  Proud SHS Grad/Class of '78

• April 4, 2008

  11:15 a.m.

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  Silverfox writes:

  I think that young Strudwick should read some accurate history about Johnnie Reb and about South High School before becoming subject to delusional politically correctness. The Johnnie Reb mascot, nor South High has had nothing to do with racism. Young Strudwick's zeal and idealism is to be applauded. But I challenge the teachers who applauded in their doorways to instruct the students that idealism also requires a measure of judgement and understanding of real history and intent before marching out of their classrooms. Leave Johnnie Reb alone. He is history and historically, he is important

• May 11, 2008

  9 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Froward69 writes:

  yesterday I was at South for the first time in 20 years. (Class of '88) there was a carpet covering the Johnny Rebel in the front hall. the Johnny Reb in the new gym entrance was exposed. the Johnny Reb. was hanging proudly upon the wall in the gym as it does in all the other gyms in DPS. going to HS i learned that the south lost the organized war. I college I learned the confederacy still won the war of attrition after Appomattox courthouse.

  Johnny Rebel to me symbolizes questioning authority. that in itself is a honored American trait. leave johnny Rebel alone as the dignity of standing up to authority has indeed attributed to my success.