WALPOLE, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- District officials in Walpole said they will use a special banner to block the sight of a controversial Confederate flag near school grounds.
School officials initially erected the pole and banner for spring graduation, but said after the June massacre of African-American church members in Charleston, they realized a more permanent change was necessary.
At a school committee meeting, parents expressed their anger over the property owner's refusal to remove the flag near the high school football field.
However, many parents, including alumni, indicated they wanted the school mascot to remain the "rebel."
The school committee agreed, voting to "rebrand" the school mascot as a rebel inspired by the Revolutionary War.
Some parents told FOX25 they considered that to be more of a band-aid, that did not address the real problem.
"Being a minority, an African-American, I'm ashamed that this is the town I live in," said parent Ron Wilkes. "I'm ashamed because of that flag, and that's really something I have a hard time reconciling."