We, the undersigned, call for the Loudoun County High School mascot to be changed.

In 1954, the segregated white Loudoun County High School student body chose Mosby’s Raiders as the school’s mascot. Mosby’s Raiders were the 43rd Battalion of the Virginia Calvary for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. Like confederate monuments, choosing the Raiders as the mascot was a result of the Lost Cause Movement to commemorate the South and rewrite history.

A mascot gives a community an identity, and glorifies its chosen entity. As long as Loudoun County High School’s mascot is known as “Mosby’s Raiders” or simply “The Raiders,” no matter what positive traits come with the association, the school will be promoting slavery, the Confederacy, racism, and white supremacy. These are values we believe future generations of students should not uphold.

We, the undersigned alumni, students, teachers, parents, and concerned citizens, believe that Loudoun County High School can do better. We challenge the current student body and staff to reevaluate the mascot, and change it to better reflect the 21st century in which we live.