Omaha Burke High School

Last updated
Burke High School
Location
Omaha Burke High School
12200 Burke Blvd
Omaha, Nebraska
United States
Information
Type Public high school
School district Omaha Public Schools
PrincipalDarren Rasmussen
Teaching staff124.29 (FTE) [1]
Grades 9–12
Number of students2,073 (2018-19) [1]
Student to teacher ratio16.68 [1]
Color(s)Black and gold   
Mascot Bulldog
Website http://www.ops.org/high/burke/

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.

Contents

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.

State championships [9]
SeasonSportNumber of championshipsYear
Fall Golf, girls' 11982
Tennis, boys' 11986
Football 12018
Cross country, boys' 61975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1983
Winter Wrestling, boys' 12000
Basketball, boys' 21977, 1986
Basketball, girls' 11978
Swimming, boys' 31992, 1994, 1995
Swimming, girls' 51989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994
Spring Golf, boys' 31976, 1981, 1992
Soccer, boys' 21990, 1994
Tennis, girls' 71975, 1981, 1984, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997
Track and field, girls' 12004
Baseball 51970, 1975, 1979, 1992, 2000
Total39

Notable alumni

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Burke High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  2. ↑ "MAIN OFFICE STAFF". burke.ops.org. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  3. 1 2 Duffy, Erin (April 24, 2017). "$12.85 million plan would modernize Burke High's stadium, other facilities". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  4. ↑ Sasse, Adam Fletcher (February 6, 2018). "A History of Segregated Schools in Omaha, Nebraska". North Omaha History.
  5. ↑ Bahnsen, Kylie (November 26, 2019). "Forgotten History: Is it time for a name change?". The Burke Beat.
  6. 1 2 Chapman, John (June 17, 2020). "Burke High graduate petitions for school name change amid BLM movement". WOWT.
  7. ↑ State/Nebraska/2008 - AcaDec Scores and Information Center
  8. ↑ Nationals/2009 - AcaDec Scores and Information Center
  9. ↑ "Nebraska School Activities Association" (English). Retrieved 2012-06-26.
  10. ↑ "George Andrews Past Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards - databaseFootball.com". Archived from the original on 2013-06-06. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
  11. ↑ Patterson, Mike (5 December 2023). "Omaha Burke grad Xavier Watts wins Bronko Nagurski Award for nation's top defensive player". Omaha World-Herald.

41°15′38″N96°06′23″W / 41.26056°N 96.10639°W / 41.26056; -96.10639

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