By Megan Wehring

Schools across the state of Texas, including Hays High School, have reconsidered their mascot amid controversial outcry.

The Hays Rebels originated in 1968. The school didn’t start distancing itself from Confederacy associations until the 2000s. In light of recent events, mass attention toward the Rebel mascot has spurred across social media.

“The mascot has to be something that’s a unifying symbol of a school,” Tim Savoy, chief communication officer for Hay...