Two Online Petitions Started Over The Name Of The Mexico High School Dixie Gray Band

A petition is being circulated online to change the name of the Mexico High School Dixie Gray Band.

The petition is on change.org and was started by a MHS graduate.

https://www.change.org/p/mexico-missouri-school-board-change-the-name-of-the-dixie-gray-marching-band?recruiter=559226240&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=fb_dialog&recruited_by_id=847f5ec0-368c-11e6-81fc-1deaddaa7751&utm_content=fht-22955080-en-us%3A1

According to a the petition the name glorifies the traitorous slave-owners of the Confederacy and should be relegated to Missouri’s racist past.

There is also opposition to changing the name and a second petition was put on change.org by a Mexico business owner to keep the name of the Mexico High School marching band.

https://www.change.org/p/mexico-school-board-let-keep-the-name-of-mexico-mo-marching-band?recruiter=1050339883&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=946264c0-6565-11ea-b029-8ba2b002e116&utm_content=fht-23143877-en-us%3A2

Current director of the Mexico Dixie Gray Band, Josh Yancey says at the beginning of every school year a history of the band and where the name comes from is given to students and parents in a handbook.

The Mexico Schools have not commented as this is a developing story stay tuned to KXEO News for more details as they become available.