The choice of students, along with parents, teachers and administrators, to change Princeton Secondary School鈥檚 (PSS) team name from Rebels to Rapids generated considerable interest on social media.

Disappointingly, many of the comments made by local residents disparaged the decision to drop the name, despite its racist associations.

The $35,000 spent by the school district for new uniforms was called a waste of money.

The move was labeled as cancel culture, and those in charge characterized as snowflakes.

Let鈥檚 be clear. There is nothing wrong with the word rebel as a stand-alone descriptor of a person who defies authority.

However in the case of the PSS Rebels, this had nothing to do with James Dean. The name was paired over the decades with images from the pro-slavery U.S. Confederacy.

Logos incorporated soldiers, swords and southern attire. During one period the Confederate battle flag actually appeared on team jerseys.

By any contemporary understanding, this is completely, harshly wrong.

We just know more now, we are generally more aware, and we are moving on to the Rapids. It鈥檚 worth noting the dust kicked up on Facebook didn鈥檛 appear to be from present students, or their families.

Backlash to societal progress can be expected.

One comment on the Spotlight鈥檚 Facebook post about the name switch stated all this political correctness is just getting to be 鈥渢oo much.鈥�

Brought to public outcry by the changing of a team name. So who is the snowflake, really?

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email:andrea.demeer@similkameenspotlight.com