Robert E. Lee HS in Tyler TX up for a Name Change Vote

[Chooky 13319]

6 hours ago, miguelito said:

Just do what San Antonio Lee HS did: change it to " Legacy of Educational Excellence High School *wink* "

Robert Elie

[bolverk 29717]

17 minutes ago, Chooky said:

Robert Elie

How about John Aielli High School? I imagine the marching band halftime shows could get quite eklektik.

[dcbc 14509]

7 hours ago, miguelito said:

Just do what San Antonio Lee HS did: change it to " Legacy of Educational Excellence High School *wink* "

They (some school board member) proposed a compromise in 2018 to change the name to Lee HS.  The proponents of the name change balked at that and the board declined to second the motion to hold a vote. 

I could get on board with Legacy of Unbridled Learning on Zoom  or LULZ for short.

[Guest]

Tyler Institute of Teaching & Schoolin'

[bolverk 29717]

47 minutes ago, slorch said:

Tyler Institute of Teaching & Schoolin'

Ah, man, that'd be the tits!

[RPM 26354]

Why isn't every HS in Tyler named Earl Campbell High? That is the real offense here.

[dcbc 14509]

2 hours ago, slorch said:

Tyler Institute of Teaching & Schoolin'

Or Tyler Institute of Tremendous Teaching (Intermediate and Elementary) & Schoolin'

[used2b 249]

I can't believe Tyler beat Midland on this. Well maybe I can.

[LongestHorn 759]

On 7/16/2020 at 8:53 PM, atomheartbevo said:

The correct answer is always:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Benavidez

 

5th Group shout out

[Vito Andolini 9132]

I grew up in Tyler, so I’m surprised I hadn’t heard about this, but then again, the assholes who would likely bitch about such a change on Facebook were hidden long ago. 

I know the poster above was setting up a joke when he asked if the school was typically referred to as  “Robert E. Lee” or simply “Lee,” but back in the day (and this was a million years ago, so it could have changed), it was weirdly called “Robert E. Lee” in almost every occasion, a fast, “robertylee.” 

Growing up in there in the 60’s and 70’s, Tyler was an extreme example of “haves” and “have nots.”  I lived on the south side among the haves, but we were a have not family, so it wasn’t fun. I still always had civic pride, but my last stint was that weird period many of us have when we return home after graduation and wait for our career to begin, perhaps elsewhere (strangely enough in the context of this thread, it was Midland for a brief bit). 

I still have family in Tyler, but no friends. I’ll go back for holidays (well, used to), but that’s it. I assume it’s still a pretty nice place to live for some, shitty for others, but I guess that describes a lot of cities.

Edited July 19, 2020 by Vito Andolini

['stache 21866]

On 7/17/2020 at 7:48 PM, dcbc said:

Or Tyler Institute of Tremendous Teaching (Intermediate and Elementary) & Schoolin'

Tyler Institute of Teaching Area YouthS

[HRSchenker 2273]

On 7/17/2020 at 11:22 AM, dcbc said:

1.5 hours to Dallas.  1.5 hours to Shreveport.  15--20 minutes from several nice lakes.  UT Health.  Christus.  MD Anderson branch.  Lowish real estate prices.  Criminally low property taxes.  Large enough population to have some good chains.  Stanley's BBQ.  Hills.  Trees.  No real traffic compared to metro areas.  Yeah, the politics are fucked up here in my view.  But you find your group of friends.  Not everyone here is on board with that extreme side of the aisle (no c/r intended).  But some certainly are.  When I moved here from Houston, I thought I'd be here for three years tops and, then, make my way to Austin.  Here I am, 20 years later.  And if I ever move, it will be to Colorado or thereabouts.  No interest in relocating back to the metro areas. 

/last night on the video feed, some FB handle purporting to be City of Longview was calling Tyler out, saying people should move there, touting better school names, McConaughhey, and drive thru liquor sales.  Longview always has seemed to have a chill factor about it, but it's smaller and the crime rate seems to flow more than it ebbs. 

The only thing I don't like about the area is how those people drive. Left lane chilling, turn lane accelerating, and impatient in bad weather. Other than that I really enjoy the area. I have a cousin who is a state detective and he's always said his favorite place to live was Tyler.

[Eljefeweizen 34]

Tyler Lee class of '79 here. That name change was loooooong overdue. I haven't lived there since HS graduation. It's pretty there, the people are nice (except when they're not), it's more Mississippi than Texas. 

[Guest Lobo]

Fun fact-The Washington Generals had Robert E. Lee in mind when they chose their team name.  Because they're always the second-place finisher.  

[dcbc 14509]

5 hours ago, HRSchenker said:

The only thing I don't like about the area is how those people drive. Left lane chilling, turn lane accelerating, and impatient in bad weather. Other than that I really enjoy the area. I have a cousin who is a state detective and he's always said his favorite place to live was Tyler.

Yeah, they suck at driving.  My biggest peeve is the double left hand turn lane guy in the left lane that likes to swing right across the line into the righthand left turn lane during the turn.  Special place in hell for that dude.

Edited July 19, 2020 by dcbc

[Bill Clay 48]

Tyler Lee alumni checking in. The school was actually quite progressive in that they dropped the Rebels name and flag, and adopted the Red Raiders in the early 70s, long before it was fashionable.

I don't get back much but still believe parts of east Texas are the prettiest that the state has to offer. Hwy 69 from Tyler to Jacksonville is beautiful. I just wish Tyler would ban franchise restaurants. Holy shit - enough already. Very few family owned joints.

[dcbc 14509]

22 minutes ago, Bill Clay said:

Tyler Lee alumni checking in. The school was actually quite progressive in that they dropped the Rebels name and flag, and adopted the Red Raiders in the early 70s, long before it was fashionable.

I don't get back much but still believe parts of east Texas are the prettiest that the state has to offer. Hwy 69 from Tyler to Jacksonville is beautiful. I just wish Tyler would ban franchise restaurants. Holy shit - enough already. Very few family owned joints.

When we hit 100k population, franchises really took off.  Plenty of good family owned places still, with new ones coming in regularly.  But the franchises hit hard for a while starting about 10 years ago.

[Eljefeweizen 34]

It may have been progressive, but Tyler and TISD didn't give up the confederate symbols (Rebel mascot, Confederate flags, ‘Dixie’ fight song, Rebelettes drill team, and other Confederate symbols) willingly. They did so under order of the TEA in 1972. An excellent timeline is available here: https://thetylerloop.com/robert-e-lee-high-school-race-and-segregation-in-tyler-a-130-year-timeline/

As an aside, my infinitely better half is really enamored of living there (we live in Austin). We've got family, friends, and it's much more livable than in the dark ages when I grew up there. 

Edited July 20, 2020 by Eljefeweizen

[Guest Lobo]

I don't see the issue with any team called "The Rebels."  Mandela, Wallace, Joan of Arc.  Rebels have frequently been on the right side of history and ethics, and have eventually prevailed.  

if you're gonna be a rebel, be a Skywalker or Fin or Rey.  You know...fight for good AND win.  I would respect the "heritage" of this Confederate/South bullshit if it wasn't so celebratory of mediocrity, stupidity, ignorance, and general military ineptitude.  I mean, other than "Fightin' Spirit"...was there anything the South was good at during their open rebellion?  We may as well change these schools' names to those of modern Italian War Heroes or Soviet Tactical Prowess.  You have enough stupid people with weapons who've bought into a lie, you can accomplish a great deal of second place finishes.  Just look at the A&M Corps.  

[pearlandhorn 3274]

My mom went to Lee and graduated in '77.  I went there and graduated in '06.  My parents still live in Tyler.  It's a nice town and I'm completely shocked they were able to change the name of it...given the backwards way people in charge of the town think.  The city is influenced too much by one church to the point where city politics look for approval from GABC before passing things.  The mayor and county judge have been silent when it comes to COVID.

My inlaws live in Flint.  Would rather be out there 100% of the time quite frankly.

[NeverMarryAStripper 21921]

28 minutes ago, Lobo said:

I don't see the issue with any team called "The Rebels."  Mandela, Wallace, Joan of Arc.  Rebels have frequently been on the right side of history and ethics, and have eventually prevailed.  

if you're gonna be a rebel, be a Skywalker or Fin or Rey.  You know...fight for good AND win.  I would respect the "heritage" of this Confederate/South bullshit if it wasn't so celebratory of mediocrity, stupidity, ignorance, and general military ineptitude.  I mean, other than "Fightin' Spirit"...was there anything the South was good at during their open rebellion?  We may as well change these schools' names to those of modern Italian War Heroes or Soviet Tactical Prowess.  You have enough stupid people with weapons who've bought into a lie, you can accomplish a great deal of second place finishes.  Just look at the A&M Corps.  

Yes it's much better to be rebels that lose practically every battle they fought until they convinced another world power to kick their enemy's ass for them

[Guest Lobo]

A good rebel knows when to bring in the French.  I'd rather be crafty and victorious than brave and get some statutes as parting gifts.  

I would argue, as much as it romanticizes our checkered past as a nation, our rebellion was on the side of Good.  Or at least "Better."  Yeah, it was mostly slave-owning leaders, but their idea was that some sort of fucked-up cobbled Republic was better than Absolute Monarchies.  And let's not fucking forget that Britain also owned slaves, and their colonial expansion included shit way worse than slavery.  Our Rebellion had a better idea.  Not a winning idea, not a stronger military, but just a better idea.  It was "We're fucked up, greedy assholes.  But we'd like to involve a few more people at the table and quit this shit based on birthright."  

Great Britain was more evil than we were.  That's all.  That's it.  That's what it came down to.  Our rebellion was a better idea than what they had going.  Between some guerrilla warfare, help from the French, and a general advantage of knowing the terrain longer...our rebellion prevailed.  And the world was better for it (not for all, but overall).  

The Southern Rebellion, the Confederacy.....it was based on a stupid idea.  A backwards idea.  And idea, that even for its time was woefully stuck in the past and horribly immoral.  Here's how we know their platform was sick and inadequate...nobody came to their aide.  Plenty of nations around the world would have loved to have seen the Union fall, came in and taken a piece of the action for themselves in some cobbled deal with the Confederacy.  But the Confederacy was as attractive a partner as June Shannon.  When both your chances for victory and your fighting cause are both equally shitty, other nations gonna take a pass.  

I know it must be hard for some people to have to grow up, generation after generation, in a country that slaughtered their ancestors and forced them to live a certain way under the threat of the State.  To them, I give them the time honored advice they gave my grandparents time and time again in South Texas, "You can go back to where you came from, anytime."  

Fighting for a way of life isn't always admirable, sometimes we're just looking to fill up pages in a textbook.  

Anyway, what were we talking about? 

[BTW 370]

On 7/18/2020 at 12:18 AM, used2b said:

I can't believe Tyler beat Midland on this. Well maybe I can.

I can.  Who wants to place bets that the last Robert E. Lee HS in Texas is the one in Midland (pretty good odds, I guess, since the only other one remaining is in Baytown).

Midland's Lee High Rebels (Who's fight song was 'dixie' until a scant 2 years ago) opened it's doors in 1961.  You read that right. At a time when the rest of the country was desegregating, Midland chose to name a new high school that way.  Not terribly surprising, I suppose, since Midland vehemently refused to desegregate it's schools until US Federal Court Forced Them To in 1971. (17 years after Brown V. Board of Education)  I'm not nearly as eloquent about it as Eric Winston, Midland Lee graduate and former president of the NFL Player's union:

Spoiler

I love Midland. I loved my high school experience. It included wonderful experiences on the playing field, competing with guys I consider friends for life in front of the best fan base in America. I look back so fondly of the many memories I have from my time growing up. I would want every kid to have the same upbringing and opportunities that I had.

However, it’s time to right a wrong that we have let go on for too long. We must change the name of Robert E Lee High School. We cannot let his name remain on an establishment that welcomes students of all races knowing he fought to keep so many of them in chains.

To those who say the figure of Robert E. Lee is part of our past as Midlanders, I would say take a history lesson. Midland was founded in 1881, almost 20 years after the end of the Civil War. Moreover, Lee High School started in the 1960s when schools were forced to desegregate. George Washington Carver was the all-black high school on the other side of town that was closed following integration orders. Students were instead sent to Midland High as well as the newly built Robert E. Lee High School.

And to those who say that we don’t want to give up our history – we don’t have to. It’s always been about the special people who have contributed to our city, our schools and our playing fields. That’s our real history.

Interestingly, in 1961, Carver’s football team won the state football championship, the first state championship of any kind for Midland. I wish I had known more about this history when I was growing up and better understood the important legacy our state championship-winning teams were continuing.

While we can’t do anything about the past, we can do something about the future. To mark the school’s 60th anniversary, we can usher in a new era of equality and belongingness. While replacing a name won’t fix systemic racism and the issues we face as a nation, it can help students of color feel more welcome and equal

From my experience, the best thing about sports, and specifically football, is the locker room. From Midland to Miami to my time in the NFL, I feel lucky that I developed friendships with people from a range of backgrounds and life experiences who all shared the same feeling of purpose and sacrifice toward the same goal. That shared sacrifice led to close friendships. And as you become close, you start sharing deeply personal stories. Stories about your families, stories about your friends, and stories about your heartaches. My black teammates often shared stories of heartache that I had a harder time relating to, like stories of unfair treatment by the police. I also heard stories about discrimination that’s harder to see -- things like access to better primary education, neighborhood isolation and a way their interactions at times reminded them of “their place.”

I accept that while I heard all these stories through the years from my black teammates, it has not pushed me to do enough. I think it’s time for all of us to do more. It’s time to do the hard work of tearing down the barriers - physical and mental - that separate us, which is why I am lending my voice to call out for this change.

We are not going to make sweeping changes to the injustices that happen in this country overnight, but we can start by changing the name of Robert E. Lee High School. From there, we must continue to work to tear down the barriers that divide us and continue to self-reflect about what we can do to make a positive change in our community. Positive change must start somewhere, and it’s time to begin that process. Please join me in asking the school board to change the name of Robert E. Lee High School

When the current school board president was recently asked about re-naming the school, he simply said (emphasis added)

Quote

“The board understands the sensitivity of this issue and is continuing to listen to this community's differing views on it. Meanwhile, I believe that all members of this community are united in wanting us to continue to focus our time and efforts in improving the educational environment, resources, and outcomes for all students.”

 

Edited July 21, 2020 by BTW

[dcbc 14509]

1 hour ago, BTW said:

I can.  Who wants to place bets that the last Robert E. Lee HS in Texas is the one in Midland (pretty good odds, I guess, since the only other one remaining is in Baytown).

Midland's Lee High Rebels (Who's fight song was 'dixie' until a scant 2 years ago) opened it's doors in 1961.  You read that right. At a time when the rest of the country was desegregating, Midland chose to name a new high school that way.  Not terribly surprising, I suppose, since Midland vehemently refused to desegregate it's schools until US Federal Court Forced Them To in 1971. (17 years after Brown V. Board of Education)  I'm not nearly as eloquent about it as Eric Winston, Midland Lee graduate and former president of the NFL Player's union:

  Reveal hidden contents

I love Midland. I loved my high school experience. It included wonderful experiences on the playing field, competing with guys I consider friends for life in front of the best fan base in America. I look back so fondly of the many memories I have from my time growing up. I would want every kid to have the same upbringing and opportunities that I had.

However, it’s time to right a wrong that we have let go on for too long. We must change the name of Robert E Lee High School. We cannot let his name remain on an establishment that welcomes students of all races knowing he fought to keep so many of them in chains.

To those who say the figure of Robert E. Lee is part of our past as Midlanders, I would say take a history lesson. Midland was founded in 1881, almost 20 years after the end of the Civil War. Moreover, Lee High School started in the 1960s when schools were forced to desegregate. George Washington Carver was the all-black high school on the other side of town that was closed following integration orders. Students were instead sent to Midland High as well as the newly built Robert E. Lee High School.

And to those who say that we don’t want to give up our history – we don’t have to. It’s always been about the special people who have contributed to our city, our schools and our playing fields. That’s our real history.

Interestingly, in 1961, Carver’s football team won the state football championship, the first state championship of any kind for Midland. I wish I had known more about this history when I was growing up and better understood the important legacy our state championship-winning teams were continuing.

While we can’t do anything about the past, we can do something about the future. To mark the school’s 60th anniversary, we can usher in a new era of equality and belongingness. While replacing a name won’t fix systemic racism and the issues we face as a nation, it can help students of color feel more welcome and equal

From my experience, the best thing about sports, and specifically football, is the locker room. From Midland to Miami to my time in the NFL, I feel lucky that I developed friendships with people from a range of backgrounds and life experiences who all shared the same feeling of purpose and sacrifice toward the same goal. That shared sacrifice led to close friendships. And as you become close, you start sharing deeply personal stories. Stories about your families, stories about your friends, and stories about your heartaches. My black teammates often shared stories of heartache that I had a harder time relating to, like stories of unfair treatment by the police. I also heard stories about discrimination that’s harder to see -- things like access to better primary education, neighborhood isolation and a way their interactions at times reminded them of “their place.”

I accept that while I heard all these stories through the years from my black teammates, it has not pushed me to do enough. I think it’s time for all of us to do more. It’s time to do the hard work of tearing down the barriers - physical and mental - that separate us, which is why I am lending my voice to call out for this change.

We are not going to make sweeping changes to the injustices that happen in this country overnight, but we can start by changing the name of Robert E. Lee High School. From there, we must continue to work to tear down the barriers that divide us and continue to self-reflect about what we can do to make a positive change in our community. Positive change must start somewhere, and it’s time to begin that process. Please join me in asking the school board to change the name of Robert E. Lee High School

When the current school board president was recently asked about re-naming the school, he simply said (emphasis added)

 

TylerISD was under a similar desegregation order until it was lifted a few years ago.

[Vito Andolini 9132]

On 7/20/2020 at 1:26 PM, pearlandhorn said:

My mom went to Lee and graduated in '77.  I went there and graduated in '06.  My parents still live in Tyler.  It's a nice town and I'm completely shocked they were able to change the name of it...given the backwards way people in charge of the town think.  The city is influenced too much by one church to the point where city politics look for approval from GABC before passing things.  The mayor and county judge have been silent when it comes to COVID.

My inlaws live in Flint.  Would rather be out there 100% of the time quite frankly.

User name definitely does not check out.

I’m way closer to your mom’s age than yours, so it’s always an amusing eye opener when I hear about Flint and Bullard having nice neighborhoods, when back in the day, they were complete shitholes lucky to have a shack on them. 

[twosheds 374]

When we hit 100k population, franchises really took off.  Plenty of good family owned places still, with new ones coming in regularly.  But the franchises hit hard for a while starting about 10 years ago.

Ricks on the Square and The Grove are two of my favorite places to eat between the metroplex and Shreveport

[Bill Clay 48]

31 minutes ago, twosheds said:

Ricks on the Square and The Grove are two of my favorite places to eat between the metroplex and Shreveport

Rick's was our spot back in the day since the door guys weren't too strict. Good times.

[dcbc 14509]

1 hour ago, twosheds said:

Ricks on the Square and The Grove are two of my favorite places to eat between the metroplex and Shreveport

There's a place on the corner of the square called Culture ETX that is next level good.  I like the outdoor space at the Grove, but the service has been more miss than hit the last couple of times we were there before Captain Trips Covid changed the restaurant landscape. 

[dcbc 14509]

49 minutes ago, Bill Clay said:

Rick's was our spot back in the day since the door guys weren't too strict. Good times.

Ricks was the spot when I first moved here in 2001.  It's not so crowded these days.

[pearlandhorn 3274]

6 hours ago, Vito Andolini said:

User name definitely does not check out.

I’m way closer to your mom’s age than yours, so it’s always an amusing eye opener when I hear about Flint and Bullard having nice neighborhoods, when back in the day, they were complete shitholes lucky to have a shack on them. 

I moved to Austin from Tyler for school then went to Houston.

Flint and Bullard are exploding. Very nice areas. My in laws have a very nice house on about 2 acres in Flint. Property taxes are cheap too.

[dcbc 14509]

On 7/21/2020 at 5:03 PM, Vito Andolini said:

User name definitely does not check out.

I’m way closer to your mom’s age than yours, so it’s always an amusing eye opener when I hear about Flint and Bullard having nice neighborhoods, when back in the day, they were complete shitholes lucky to have a shack on them. 

There are nice parts of both of those places.  Flint is darned near a Tyler suburb at this point (parts of it are in TISD).  And while Bullard may have some nice areas, a lot of the people I know who moved there in the last 5 years were the biggest redneck idiot parents on my older kid's soccer team I've ever seen and made an end run from Chandler around Tyler to Bullard. 

[dcbc 14509]

20 hours ago, pearlandhorn said:

I moved to Austin from Tyler for school then went to Houston.

Flint and Bullard are exploding. Very nice areas. My in laws have a very nice house on about 2 acres in Flint. Property taxes are cheap too.

They're not exactly expensive in Tyler.

I may be the opposite of you.  I moved from Houston to Austin for school, back to Houston for law school, and to Tyler for a girl and a career, both of which have panned out.  Did not think I'd be here for 5 years, much less 20.

Edited July 23, 2020 by dcbc

[pearlandhorn 3274]

12 hours ago, dcbc said:

They're not exactly expensive in Tyler.

I may be the opposite of you.  I moved from Houston to Austin for school, back to Houston for law school, and to Tyler for a girl and a career, both of which have panned out.  Did not think I'd be here for 5 years, much less 20.

I meant property taxes in general aren’t expensive in Tyler (compared to other parts of the state).
 

My in laws and my parents want my wife and I back in Tyler and I’m not giving in right now.  It may be nice when my son is a bit older just to have grandparents closer. It’s a nice place to visit but I really don’t like it here as it’s a pretty backwards, subtly racist town. I like being able to go somewhere and not be recognized by someone. My folks have been here all their life and know a great deal of people. Most of my friends from high school have moved on and are in Dallas or Austin. The people still here from high school are...well...like you said, rednecks who lives in the backwoods of chandler and Bullard.

[dcbc 14509]

15 hours ago, pearlandhorn said:

I meant property taxes in general aren’t expensive in Tyler (compared to other parts of the state).
 

My in laws and my parents want my wife and I back in Tyler and I’m not giving in right now.  It may be nice when my son is a bit older just to have grandparents closer. It’s a nice place to visit but I really don’t like it here as it’s a pretty backwards, subtly racist town. I like being able to go somewhere and not be recognized by someone. My folks have been here all their life and know a great deal of people. Most of my friends from high school have moved on and are in Dallas or Austin. The people still here from high school are...well...like you said, rednecks who lives in the backwoods of chandler and Bullard.

I hear you.  It's a little different living here when you didn't grow up here.  I try to avoid the backwards, subtly racist parts as much as humanly possible.  But I always am in favor of cool people moving here so that it waters down the assholes a little more..

Edited July 24, 2020 by dcbc

[BERT 4381]

On 7/17/2020 at 11:22 AM, dcbc said:

1.5 hours to Dallas.  1.5 hours to Shreveport.  15--20 minutes from several nice lakes.  UT Health.  Christus.  MD Anderson branch.  Lowish real estate prices.  Criminally low property taxes.  Large enough population to have some good chains.  Stanley's BBQ.  Hills.  Trees.  No real traffic compared to metro areas.  Yeah, the politics are fucked up here in my view.  But you find your group of friends.  Not everyone here is on board with that extreme side of the aisle (no c/r intended).  But some certainly are.  When I moved here from Houston, I thought I'd be here for three years tops and, then, make my way to Austin.  Here I am, 20 years later.  And if I ever move, it will be to Colorado or thereabouts.  No interest in relocating back to the metro areas. 

/last night on the video feed, some FB handle purporting to be City of Longview was calling Tyler out, saying people should move there, touting better school names, McConaughhey, and drive thru liquor sales.  Longview always has seemed to have a chill factor about it, but it's smaller and the crime rate seems to flow more than it ebbs. 

Just live north of HWY 80 and you're good. Live north of Loop 281 and you're even better. 

[atomheartbevo 89798]

My impressions of Tyler are based on driving through a few times while going elsewhere, and the manufactured/modular/mobile homes recommendations I get once in a blue moon on YouTube - there's a guy who is always upbeat, covering the fancier mobile homes (there ain't jack shit that is mobile about them once they are in place and finished out, so that's a misnomer).  Seems like he's always in Tyler at Pratt? homes or another place there.  I got the impression that Tyler is a mecca for mobile home manufacturers or dealers or something.

[Brothahorn 10087]

The candy company makes the best damn pecan log ever.

 

Edited July 24, 2020 by Brothahorn

[dcbc 14509]

2 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

My impressions of Tyler are based on driving through a few times while going elsewhere, and the manufactured/modular/mobile homes recommendations I get once in a blue moon on YouTube - there's a guy who is always upbeat, covering the fancier mobile homes (there ain't jack shit that is mobile about them once they are in place and finished out, so that's a misnomer).  Seems like he's always in Tyler at Pratt? homes or another place there.  I got the impression that Tyler is a mecca for mobile home manufacturers or dealers or something.

I think there are two or so dealers I've seen (including that one).  There's also a Camping World Dealership outside of town as you head toward I20.  But 60% of Tyler's economy is Medical.  So I don't get the impression we're overwhelmed by doublewide dealerships or anything.  But as you drive toward the towns surrounding Tyler, you definitely get more of that vibe, so to speak.  Tyler has grown a lot, but thanks to the people who touted the evil of the damned interstate back in the day, it's about a twenty minute drive to I20, even with the toll road.  But unless you drive into town, the outskirts aren't too representative of the city as a whole.

Edited July 24, 2020 by dcbc

[BERT 4381]

Not sure that Camping World sells mobile homes. Pretty sure them, Southern RV and Tyler RV only sell trailers and 5th wheels. 

[atomheartbevo 89798]

55 minutes ago, dcbc said:

I think there are two or so dealers I've seen (including that one).  There's also a Camping World Dealership outside of town as you head toward I20.  But 60% of Tyler's economy is Medical.  So I don't get the impression we're overwhelmed by doublewide dealerships or anything.

It's just my YouTube feed - I check those videos out every now and then, and it just seems like Pratt or whatever is really large and that the guy is in Tyler a lot (he's from Alabama or Mississippi) - I figured they must manufacture them there or something, since it doesn't seem like the kind of business where they import them from one of the coasts.  Maybe they are moving a lot of model homes in and out.

And like I said, they can call them mobile all they want, but some of them are running well over 2,000 square feet.

[Pato del Muerto 52599]

Apparently a RE Lee high in Virginia is changing to John Lewis High. 

[dcbc 14509]

23 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Apparently a RE Lee high in Virginia is changing to John Lewis High. 

Good on them.  One thing I like about our current naming scheme is that naming after people is verboten.  Hoping we don't end up with Independence or Excellence HS, but still better than the current name.  Submitting "Memorial" HS and "Parkview" HS. this week.

[Macanudo 13012]

On 7/20/2020 at 12:09 PM, Lobo said:

I don't see the issue with any team called "The Rebels."  Mandela, Wallace, Joan of Arc.  Rebels have frequently been on the right side of history and ethics, and have eventually prevailed.  

if you're gonna be a rebel, be a Skywalker or Fin or Rey.  You know...fight for good AND win.  I would respect the "heritage" of this Confederate/South bullshit if it wasn't so celebratory of mediocrity, stupidity, ignorance, and general military ineptitude.  I mean, other than "Fightin' Spirit"...was there anything the South was good at during their open rebellion?  We may as well change these schools' names to those of modern Italian War Heroes or Soviet Tactical Prowess.  You have enough stupid people with weapons who've bought into a lie, you can accomplish a great deal of second place finishes.  Just look at the A&M Corps.  

They don't be Rebels.  Be Rebel Scum.

[bolverk 29717]

Looks like the Midland ISD school will be voting this evening on whether to change the name of Lee.

https://www.mrt.com/news/education/article/Trustees-to-vote-Monday-on-school-name-change-15434050.php

[Brisketexan 105336]

Looks like the Midland ISD school will be voting this evening on whether to change the name of Lee.
https://www.mrt.com/news/education/article/Trustees-to-vote-Monday-on-school-name-change-15434050.php

The future grads of Midland Donald J. Trump high school are gonna wonder WTF happened to bring that about, so make sure you write this down.

[NeverMarryAStripper 21921]

So they’re going to be the fighting dumbasses

[sidis 9832]

as a not-so-proud late-90's lufkin high school graduate who left east texas and never went back, let me just say fuck tyler (lee or whatever the hell, and JT), longview, marshall, and nacogdoches all.

and a special fuck you to david warren at john tyler for ending my prodigious football career a bit early.

still can't believe they broke that district up.  that was a lot of fun...and some real fucking rivalry hate.  particularly lufkin-longview but also the two tyler schools.  random tangent: it was always weird once i moved urban where there's a million schools and no one cares...plus everyone sucks.  i can't imagine how much it would suck to play football in austin isd.  literally no one gives a shit and not a single team is worth a single fuck.  they're all horrifically bad at football.  i don't even think the kids' parents go to the games.  you could fit five house parks into an east texas 3a stadium. tangent over. 

anyway, yeah...they should rename that school...although when i was in school, it was quite fitting in a not so subtle way.  that was the starkest segregation i had ever seen in my life - the contrast between john tyler and tyler lee was astounding...as if brown vs. board of ed had never happened.  hopefully that has changed at least a bit since then.

[bolverk 29717]

The school board voted 6-1 last night in favor of changing the name of Midland Lee.

[dcbc 14509]

13 hours ago, sidis said:

as a not-so-proud late-90's lufkin high school graduate who left east texas and never went back, let me just say fuck tyler (lee or whatever the hell, and JT), longview, marshall, and nacogdoches all.

and a special fuck you to david warren at john tyler for ending my prodigious football career a bit early.

still can't believe they broke that district up.  that was a lot of fun...and some real fucking rivalry hate.  particularly lufkin-longview but also the two tyler schools.  random tangent: it was always weird once i moved urban where there's a million schools and no one cares...plus everyone sucks.  i can't imagine how much it would suck to play football in austin isd.  literally no one gives a shit and not a single team is worth a single fuck.  they're all horrifically bad at football.  i don't even think the kids' parents go to the games.  you could fit five house parks into an east texas 3a stadium. tangent over. 

anyway, yeah...they should rename that school...although when i was in school, it was quite fitting in a not so subtle way.  that was the starkest segregation i had ever seen in my life - the contrast between john tyler and tyler lee was astounding...as if brown vs. board of ed had never happened.  hopefully that has changed at least a bit since then.

As someone who wasn't born here, I read your post and say, you can take the kid out of east Texas, but you can't take the east Texas football glory out of the kid.  Well done, sir. 

And, yes, the school once named after Lee hasn't appeared to me to be starkly segregated during the 20 years or so I have lived here.  That doesn't mean there isn't racism there.  But it's not lily white.  The school once named JT, probably less racially diverse from what I understand.  My kids always have gone to magnet schools (Caldwell/Moore), both of which are very diverse. 

As for Lufkin, my wife has family there.  But thanks be to you guys for building that nice loop so we don't have to drive through the town on the way to Houston.

Edited July 28, 2020 by dcbc

[Hpara759 1780]

Midland Lee renaming committee voted yesterday......

Midland L.E.E.

They still have to decide on school colors and mascot