Richland High School (Texas)

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Richland High School
Location
5201 Holiday Lane E.
North Richland Hills, TX 76180
Information
School district Birdville Independent School District
Type Public, Secondary
Grades 9-12
Mascot Rebels

Richland High School is a secondary school located in North Richland Hills, Texas. The school includes grades 9 through 12, and is part of the Birdville Independent School District.

Contents

[edit] Background

Richland High School opened in 1961 as the second high school in the Birdville Independent School District. The school was expanded over time to meet the needs of the community, including a major expansion in the late 1980s that added a new main entrance, classroom wing, cafeteria, and administration offices.

Richland High School

In 1984, Richland was the site of a school shooting. No students or faculty were killed, though the shooter was charged in a fatal shooting from earlier that week. [1]

Richland High School used the confederate battle flag as its school flag until 1993, when it was replaced due to the controversy surrounding the symbol. The school also phased out the use of "Dixie" as an informal fight song at that time. The school's official fight song was and remained "Rebel Charge March," which is also a Civil War era melody but is less known and less controversial. However, Richland High School continues to use Confederate symbols such as the "Rebel" mascot, "Dixie Belles" moniker for its drill team, and "Johnny Rebs" for its pep squad.

On January 21, 1999, sophomore Randall James committed suicide with a 9mm pistol[2] in one of the restrooms of the 1980s expanded entrance. Based on his journals and letters, he was personally troubled over the state of his friends involved in a religious cult[3][4].

In 1998, the Richland High School Marching Band placed 5th in the Texas 5A State Marching Contest.

In 2003, the Richland High School Marching Band won the Texas 4A State Marching Contest.

In 2005. the Richland High School Marching Band placed 7th at the Bands of America Grand National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In 2006, the Richland High School Cheerleaders won the NCA National Championship.

On October 31, 2007, Richland Senior High School became a center of controversy once again with its annual junior reading assignment of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The only black student in a predominantly white English class objected to the teacher's method of analyzing the different context the word "nigger" can have in the 1884 classic. Amidst controversy and threatened legal action, Birdville Independent School District decided to drop the reading assignment and allow the student to enroll into a different English class.

[edit] New Richland High School

In 2006 A bond was passed to build a new Richland High School. It will be at the same location where the current school is now. The Auditorium, The Current Library, The Lunch Room and the newer main halls/rooms that was added in the late 80's will remain. The New Richland High School will be built around it. It is set to open up in time for the 2009-2010 School year.

[edit] Notable Alumni

[edit] Students

Country music singer Gary Morris is a 1967 graduate.

Former NFL player and TCU standout tightend Kelly Blackwell is a 1987 graduate.

West Palm Beach, Florida radio personality and voice talent Clay Culver is a 1993 graduate.

Romance novelist Sandra Brown, class of 1966, was Sandra Cox when she sang in the choir at RHS.

Olympic Gold Medal marksman Lanny Bassham is a 1965 graduate.

[edit] Faculty

Kay Granger taught English and journalism at Richland High School before starting her political career.[5]

Patricia Neighbors: Choral Director (Chorale, Rebellaires, and Rebel Men)

[edit] References

  1. ^ [1]. Retrieved 5 November 2006.
  2. ^ [http://www.schoolsafety.us/pubfiles/savd.pdf The National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths] Retrieved 6 January 2007
  3. ^ [2] Diary of a cult member. Stacie Kern. Retrieved 6 January 2007
  4. ^ [3] FACTNet Newsletter JANUARY-MARCH 1999 Retrieved 6 January 2007
  5. ^ [4]. Retrieved 5 November 2006.

[edit] External links


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