Students Create 'Blackout' At Dixon High School In Protest

DIXON (CBS13) – There was a blackout at Dixon High School on Friday, but it had nothing to do with a loss of electricity.

Students at the school wore black clothes in a campus-wide, student-organized "blackout" to protest against what they believe is a move by the school's principal to change their school colors. Specifically, they want to keep the color black.

"Our principal wants to take our school colors and we're not going to stand for it," said junior Cody Baxter.

"It's been a part of our tradition. Everyone knows Dixon is green and black. They show up and they think green and black is coming. So why take it out of our colors. It makes us look more intimidating," said another student.

The students say their principal wants to take the black out of the school's sports uniforms and maybe more.

"They think it's a depressing color. They think we should wear every other color," said freshman Chey Anne Laever. "But black goes with everything."

However, when CBS13 tracked down Principal John Barsotti, wearing a black suit, he had a different explanation.

He says students are free to wear black on campus, however, sometime down the road, he does plan to replace the school's sports uniforms that feature black.

He says it is because the school's color are green and white - not black.

Principal Barsotti says going back to green and white will honor the school's tradition.