SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt.—When it comes to rebellious and cantankerous behavior, Vermonters go back a ways.

They didn’t join the original 13 colonies in the Union until 1791, four years after the Constitution was signed. Before that, Vermont had been its own republic for 14 years, says Mariessa Dobrick, a state archivist: “George Washington once wrote a letter saying, `I wouldn’t mess with them.’ ”

In 1961, when education leaders in South Burlington decided that a newly built high school should be nicknamed the Rebels, nobody batted an eyelash. After all, this community was founded when it split from greater Burlington about 150 years ago.

Yet this city on the shores of Lake Champlain has never seen anything quite like the current revolt under way. Three months ago, the Board of School Directors decided the Rebels moniker had offensive connotations and, therefore, needed to go.

Those Vermonters who didn’t agree with the decision reacted like, well, Vermonters.