Date: Sat, 15 Nov 1997 22:59:07 -0500

From: "Bethany K. Dumas" dumasb[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UTK.EDU

Subject: Update on Gibbs High School Rednecks



Several days ago I posted about a T-shirt created by sophomores at Gibbs

High School.



Sometime after the discussion began, I asked it would make any difference

to anybody what the racial/ethnic composition of the class was. I

received no response to that query. Apparently it does not make any

difference.



Here is an update on what the sophomores think. Several of them (class

officers and others) sent a ltter to the editor of the local newspaper; it

was published on Nov. 6. Here are relevant excerpts:



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No one was more surprised than we sophomores were when we read the article

in the paper that others accused us of being racist.



None of us had a clue that our T-shirts would be interpreted that way.

The shirts were merely to promote class spirit during spirit week; no

profit was made.



The decision of the T-shirt design was open to every sophomore's input.

Countless meetings were held to decide on shirt and float designs and to

prepare for spirit week competition.



Daily anouncements were made over the intercom inviting any sophomores to

the meetings.



No one at any of the meetings raised an issue about our theme or the

designs. If any concern had been raised, we would have gladly discussed it

and made necessary changes.

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Bethany