The mascot of billy Ryan high school, part of the Denton Independent school district, displays a character nicknamed the Ryan raider, the character is shown with a whip and a sword by his sides. The depiction of the raider is similar if not exactly taken from the uniform and weaponry dawned by Runaway slave patrol and police in the 1800s. Why should the character that depicts Ryan high school be so off beat, offensive, and quite frankly, racist; the complete opposite of what its student body hopes to be perceived as. In a school with a 62% minority enrollment, why does the symbol that characterizes the school play into the oppression of over half of its students. The racist reflections of the mascot should not be tolerated in a district that try’s so hard to protect and serve its students. Now is the time to call for action and be the change that you wish to see, not only in the world but in your own communities as well. If you’re are a Denton ISD student reading this, I implore you to sign this and push this change by reposting on your social media and telling others about it. We as a group of young people can make this change and illustrate that the behavior overlooked by our district will not be tolerated.