Blue Devil nickname has run its course

I have been silent for long enough. I feel I need to write this. I have tried to let this go for a couple years. Now I have had enough. I chose to live in this district because of the many, many positive things of the community( people, schools, location, churches, and businesses). Most are faith-based, which make this district a great place to raise a family.

I watch as this picture perfect community goes through growing pains and struggles. I am proud to see how we come out on the other side just as vibrant and great as when it started. I see our district go along with the changes our society goes through as well. Our great country and community now teach about Pillars of Community in our schools instead of the 10 commandments. We no longer have Biblical teachings on school property, and we have gone along with removing God from our schools, because of an (incorrect in my opinion) interpretation of separation of church and state.

I am by no means a moral authority. I have gone along with all of this also. I recently took my children to Philadelphia and read them copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and Lincoln's Gettysburg address; all explicitly stating either God or Creator as the backbone, if not the reason for our country.

We have removed this fundamental founding principle (God) from our schools. I am not expecting tax-funded Bibles or classes on the Bible. I simply ask that we look at something that makes "common sense." If we ban God (which we have) and his teachings, from our schools can we also ban references to the devil. Can you imagine what our community would be going through from the outside world (and possibly within), if we were the Greencastle-Antrim Christians, or Baptists, or Jews? Why then are we not changing the Blue Devils. Why is this OK? I have struggled with this question and can only come up with tradition. I can understand tradition. It has its place. It has its place when something is right. If we stuck with tradition in this land we would still be under the rule of a king, women and minorities would not vote, and our children would walk to school with no supervision. Some traditions need to change and I think this is one that has run its course.

Eric Kendle Greencastle