South Garland High School

South Garland High School is a secondary school located in Garland, Texas. The school is part of the Garland Independent School District. The mascot for SGHS is the "Southern Colonel," and the school colors are red and Columbia blue. In 2009, the school was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.HistorySouth Garland High School opened in 1964. It was the second public high school to open in Garland.ControversyIn 1991 a black activist named Melvin "A'Vant" Thomas picketed the school since it had a flag resembling the battle flag of the Confederate States of America; for a period of almost two years he had written numerous letters to the GISD school board asking them to remove the mural.In 2015 the GISD school board agreed to remove symbolism reminiscent of the Confederacy.Until the early 1990s, a Confederate flag was the predominant image in the school shield. A group of students voted against changing the school flag in August 1988 with African American resident M.T. A'Vant (formerly Melvin Thomas), protested. A'Vant ended his protests in April 1991.A group of South Garland High School parents developed a multiracial committee that same year to discuss the symbols and traditions they considered offensive that continued to be used by the school, including its fight song. The group met about 12 times before making a proposal to the school board in the summer of 1991. The group reached a compromise with the board members on only two items.