The Wiccan calendar wheel, also known as the Wheel of the Year, is an important aspect of Wiccan practice. It is a cyclical calendar that celebrates the changing seasons and the different phases of the moon. The calendar is divided into eight sabbats or festivals, which reflect the agricultural, astronomical, and natural cycles of the Earth. The wheel begins with Yule, which is celebrated around the winter solstice in December. It is a time of rebirth and renewal, as the days start getting longer again. Imbolc, also known as Candlemas, is celebrated in early February and marks the beginning of spring.

The Confederate soldier statue is gone, but should the longtime Johnny Rebel mascot be changed at Savanna High School?

A Civil War image with the words Rebel Pride is seen on the Savanna gymnasium wall in the background of this 2009 file photo.

Johnny Rebel, a fiberglass statue that once stood at Savanna High School, was put in a storage yard. The statue won’t be put back on display, the school board decided earlier this year.

ANAHEIM – While recent debate led to the removal of the Confederate Flag from South Carolina’s statehouse this morning, there are no immediate plans to remove a Civil War image from Savanna High School.

Last month, the fatal shooting of nine black people in a Charleston, S.C., church by a white man who authorities said wanted to initiate a race war sparked national debate about the Confederate flag.

Earlier this year, the Anaheim Union High School District’s board of directors unanimously rejected an effort to restore a Confederate soldier statue that stood in Savanna High’s quad from 1964 to 2009. The Fiberglass figure, known as Johnny Rebel, was not returned to display on campus.

Local activists haven’t publicly asked the school board to change Savanna’s longtime mascot. The Register asked the panel’s members in the last week about the Civil War-era image:

“We haven’t had discussions about changing the mascot, and you know, probably we wouldn’t do that because the mascot is the mascot. I don’t think we’ll go as far as to take the mascot away. My son went to Savanna, and the kids don’t think of the soldier like that. They’re just thinking, ‘It’s a soldier and we’re proud.’ I don’t see a movement to take that away. The current events create a dialogue for us to talk about it.”

– Annemarie

Randle-Trejo

“We just got an email from a community member asking us to consider it. We have to kind of listen to the alums who have a rich tradition. With some of the stuff that’s happened with the Confederate flag, I think we need to take that into consideration, too. I’m open to listening to folks from the community and moving forward to make whatever change is necessary.”

“I think in light of what has occurred in this country in recent days, in South Carolina, I understand that this is a very sensitive issue. When we took action to remove the statue, we were trying to balance community issues. It’s not ever an easy decision. The way we handled it was probably the correct way. I’m very sympathetic. I understand both sides of the issue.”

– Kathy Smith

“I don’t have any comment right now.”

– Anna Piercy

'JOHNNY REB' BAN AT FAIRFAX HIGH UPHELD ON APPEALED

A federal appeals court in Richmond said yesterday that a Fairfax High School principal acted "within his power" when he dropped the school's "Johnny Reb" mascot.

Principal Harry F. Holsinger eliminated the mascot in 1986 after blacks complained that the rebel character, outfitted in Confederate colors and flag, had racial overtones.

Following Holsinger's action, more than 2,000 students and parents signed a petition demanding that Johnny Reb return, and nine students and parents filed a $1.1 million suit against the principal, saying he had violated their First Amendment rights.

"A school mascot or symbol bears the stamp of approval of the school itself. Therefore, school authorities are free to disassociate the school from such a symbol because of educational concerns," the three-judge panel of the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals wrote in its unanimous decision upholding the lower court.

The panel -- Circuit Judges J. Dickson Phillips, James M. Sprouse and Sam J. Ervin III -- said that school officials have the authority to distance a school from "controversial speech even if it may limit student expression." Further, the judges said, "Holsinger was within his power to remove a school symbol that blacks found offensive."

Mary Lou Curtis, an alumna of Fairfax High School and one of those who filed the suit, said loss of the mascot "really, really upset the community." Yesterday's decision would too, she said.

Eliminating Johnny Reb, a symbol of Confederate resistance during the Civil War, was like erasing part of history, mascot supporters argued. Passionately noting Confederate soldiers who died on Fairfax County soil and Virginia leaders who fought in the war, they said that dropping Johnny Reb disconnected them from their Confederate heritage.

"Johnny Reb is a symbol we should be proud of. To me, it is not offensive at all," Curtis said. Only "a handful of blacks" objected, she added, and if they "learned their facts of history, they wouldn't disapprove of it at all. Slavery wasn't the cause of the Civil War, economics was."

Responding to Curtis, Glenwood P. Roane, president of the Fairfax County branch of the NAACP, said: "We know what the Civil War was about."

Roane said Johnny Reb made some black students "feel like they could not join in" school activities, where the mascot was prominently displayed on banners and shirts.

In addition to dropping Johnny Reb, Holsinger decided to change the name of the Confederettes drill team and alter the school flag, a blue-and-gray version of the Confederate battle flag. Johnny Reb was replaced by two school logos: One says "Fairfax Rebels" under crossed swords; the other shows symbols of learning over the Latin words for "always progressing."

"We didn't tear apart the whole school tradition," said school spokeswoman Dolores Bohen. "We just got rid of an ugly little mascot."

Holsinger, who is now principal of Falls Church High School, said he hoped the appellate ruling was the end of the case, which was appealed to the 4th Circuit after a federal jury in Alexandria found last September that Holsinger had not violated students' constitutional rights.

William A. Beeton Jr., lawyer for the appellants -- six students and three parents -- could not be reached for comment.

Curtis said a decision would be made later about whether to request a hearing before the full 4th Circuit -- something that is rarely granted -- or ask the Supreme Court to hear the case.

"It's about time for this to be done with," said Holsinger, adding that it wasn't just blacks who criticized Johnny Reb: "White parents asked me why in the world we would have a symbol like that in this day and age."

An Important Message from Fairfax High School

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June 18 th , 2020

Dear Family Fairfax,

For those who have been at Fairfax High School for a long time, you know that the history of the mascot and name change is a long one, with the removal of Johnny Reb in 1985 by then Principal Harry Holsinger. Johnny Reb, the original mascot, depicts an image of a confederate soldier. Research will yield myriad results on the history of Johnny Reb, and how he came to be and what he represented; however, research is fairly restricted to a very narrow list with regards to the reasons the South had for secession, and the preservation of the institution of slavery is at the top.

The history of the mascot change at Fairfax evolved from that removal of Johnny Reb to the Rebel Rouser to Rebel Pride. Each iteration maintained some element of Rebel, and the most recent iteration, Rebel Pride, is a phrase frequently used in tribute to the Confederacy. Though I believe the intention of our students who participated in the rebranding to Rebel Pride was not to glorify the Confederacy, I also understand that we do not have the luxury of rebranding in contradiction to what a long and well-established history already defines it to mean—and Rebel Pride has such a history.

At Fairfax, we pride ourselves on inclusivity, family, belongingness, respect, and integrity, and given the history of Rebel, it is time for a change: Moving forward, Fairfax High School will no longer be the Rebel Pride; we will be known as the Fairfax Lions.

Last September, I began working with our City of Fairfax and FCPS leadership on this team-name change, and over the coming school year, we will work together to remove the Rebel when it is fiscally responsible. This past school year, new uniforms were purchased without the team name, and any centrally-school created items did not display Rebel. There are other examples that were already in our capital improvements that I have used or planned to advantage this impending change.

As we move forward, I hope that our entire community can feel whole, valued, appreciated, affirmed and supported as we rise together as the Fairfax Lions.

I am proud to be a Fairfax Lion.

Fairfax High School

With Participation Respect Integrity Determination Empathy,

Erin B. Lenart, Ed.D.

Principal, Fairfax High School

We are Fairfax…We are Family.

Twitter

Twitter

@FCPSFairfaxHS

@LenartPrincipal

Imbolc, also known as Candlemas, is celebrated in early February and marks the beginning of spring. It is a time to welcome the return of the light and prepare for new growth. Next is Ostara, which corresponds with the vernal equinox in March.

It celebrates the arrival of spring and the balance between light and dark. Beltane is celebrated on May 1st and marks the beginning of summer. It is a time of fertility and abundance, where people may engage in rituals related to growth and fertility. Midsummer, or Litha, occurs around the summer solstice in June. It is a time to honor the longest day of the year and the power of the sun. Lammas, also known as Lughnasadh, is celebrated in early August and marks the first harvest. It is a time of gratitude for the abundance of the land. Mabon, the autumnal equinox, occurs in September and is a time of balance and gratitude for the harvest. Samhain, celebrated on October 31st, is the Wiccan New Year. It is a time to honor the ancestors, reflect on mortality, and let go of that which no longer serves. Each sabbat is celebrated with its own unique rituals, symbolism, and activities. Wiccans often gather in groups called covens or celebrate individually, incorporating various rituals such as meditation, spellwork, and feasting. The calendar wheel not only connects Wiccans to nature but also serves as a guide for personal and spiritual growth throughout the year. Overall, the Wiccan calendar wheel is a fundamental part of Wiccan practice, providing a framework for honoring the natural cycles and celebrating the spiritual significance of each season. It allows practitioners to align themselves with the Earth's rhythms and find meaning and connection in the world around them..

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Embracing the Divine Feminine through the Wicca Calendar Wheel