Harry A. Burke High School is a secondary school located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. The principal is Darren Rasmussen.[2] The school's mascot is the Bulldog.
Each year in May, the Nebraska State Track Meet is held at the school.[3] Its stadium was renovated in 2008.[3]
Name
Burke High School was dedicated to Harry A. Burke in November 1967. Burke, who was Omaha Public Schools superintendent from 1946 to 1962, actively prevented black educators from having positions of authority during his tenure.[4] Among Burke's racist statements was "I would never want black people in a position of power, where white children would be educated." A 2019 op-ed in school newspaper The Burke Beat and a June 2020 petition both called for the school to change its name.[5][6] Alternative namesakes were suggested, including Lucinda Gamble, Omaha Public Schools' first African American teacher.[6]
Extracurricular activities
Academic Decathlon
Burke has participated in the Academic Decathlon competition for 14 years, and has been the Nebraska state champion seven times. Their chief rivals are Creighton Preparatory School and Pius X High School. Burke holds the record for the highest overall score by a Nebraska team (48,337), set in 2008.[7] In 2009, the Burke Academic Decathlon team placed second in Division I and third overall at the national competition.[8]
Athletics
Burke athletic teams have won 39 state championships.
