At tonight's Duval School Board meeting, the Board voted to accept a recommendation from Chairman Warren Jones to begin the process to rename six schools named after Confederate soldiers, and the CSA President:
Robert E. Lee High School
Middle Schools - JEB Stuart, Jeff Davis, and Kirby-Smith
Elementary - Joseph Finegan and Stonewall Jackson
Dr. Greene, the Superintendant, is now charged with developing and carrying out the process.
https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2020/06/16/board-chairman-launches-effort-to-strip-duval-county-schools-of-confederate-names/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=snd&utm_content=wjxt4
This is going to be interesting. The Robert E. Lee petition has over 10,000 signatures (no idea how many are local, but this alum signed). Maybe it will be getting 'interesting' about the time the RNC and world media are in town.
I think its a given (with the exception of Lee High, not completely a given), that the schools names will be changed. What are listserv members suggestions/recommendations/wishes?
The President (https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1270787974880526337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Ftrump-administration-will-not-consider-renaming-military-bases-named-for-confederates) has been pretty clear already...
(Note to the mods, it'd be nice if we could get one of those "Embed Tweet" plugins for SimpleMachines.)
ML King High
Harriet Tubman middle
BT Washington middle
GW Carver middle
Ronald McNair elementary
MP Anderson elementary
Any more local names that could be used?
Make it easy and just start naming them after the neighborhoods they're located in.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on June 17, 2020, 08:53:00 AM
Any more local names that could be used?
J Rosamond Johnson - younger brother to James Weldon Johnson and the guy responsible for composing the hymn "Lift Every Voice and Sing" (amongst other things).
And, although I think he was a bit of a fraud, you could possibly make an argument for Stetson Kennedy.
Quote from: thelakelander on June 17, 2020, 09:00:01 AM
Make it easy and just start naming them after the neighborhoods they're located in.
I like this too...
Quote from: BridgeTroll on June 17, 2020, 09:07:27 AM
Quote from: thelakelander on June 17, 2020, 09:00:01 AM
Make it easy and just start naming them after the neighborhoods they're located in.
I like this too...
I agree. Lake posted that while I was writing my comment. It seems obvious and completely reasonable.
DCPS adopted a policy against naming, or renaming, schools after people.
Quote
From DCPS Policy 8.59
IV. Requirements applicable to naming or renaming a school:
A. The name of the school shall not be of a person (whether living or deceased); and
B. The name shall not be in conflict with an existing name of a school.
The obvious choice for Lee would be "Riverside High"
Darn, we won't have a Crispus Attucks Elementary? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crispus_Attucks
At least Paxon has a plaque or a marker for Bessie Coleman. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessie_Coleman
Quote from: sandyshoes on June 17, 2020, 11:33:59 AM
Darn, we won't have a Crispus Attucks Elementary? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crispus_Attucks
At least Paxon has a plaque or a marker for Bessie Coleman. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessie_Coleman
Just to add, in addition to a a plaque, Paxon commemorates/celebrates Bessie Coleman's life annually with an essay competition sponsored by Embry Riddle. My daughter came in second a few years ago and received some spending money.
Hank Aaron deserves a nod - considering that he played for the Jacksonville Braves - and if I recall, his (ex?)wife was an administrator at JEB Stuart in the late eighties.
- although, I'm not sure that schools are typically named after athletes.
^ Bob Hayes if a school is going to be named for an athlete.
Good point.
Duval County does not name schools after people, living or dead (see Reply #9).