In accordance with the newly reignited disapproval of the Confederate flag since the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal massacre in Charleston, S.C. last week, students at the University of Texas are signing a petition demanding that the school remove a statue of Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America, from campus grounds, KVUE-TV reports.
Hundreds of students have already signed on, saying that Davis' support of slavery and white supremacy does not coincide with university values.
"It is impossible to reach the full potential of an inclusive and progressive learning institution while putting an idol of our darkest days on a pedestal," the petition, which was started on Sunday, reads.
As KVUE-TV notes, the controversial statue has stood at the foot of the UT tower for decades.
"Why is this icon … that represents slavery and bigotry toward so many people that now attend the University of Texas, why is it still here?" student-government Chief of Staff Tara Patel told the news station.
By Tuesday, someone had spray-painted "Black Lives Matter" on the statue of Davis, as well as two other Confederate statues on campus, the news station reveals.
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According to KVUE-TV, it is not the first time students have tried to have the statue removed, but the new president and vice president of the student government built their campaign on promises to have the offending structure taken away. The student government reportedly passed a resolution and submitted formal requests to university leaders last spring, the station notes.
"I think it's better to learn from history when we put it in a museum, not recognizing him and putting him on an honor, like a pedestal of honor in the middle of the campus," Patel added.
Read more at USA Today.