Nathan Beford Forrest High: Time For a Name Change

[Metro Jacksonville]

Nathan Beford Forrest High: Time For a Name Change



There is a new fight to change the name of Nathan Beford Forrest High School being organized by Professor Stoll.  Robert Montgomerie weighs in on why this is important and reflects on the almost inexplicable history behind a high school being named after the founder of the Klan.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2013-aug-nathan-beford-forrest-high-time-for-a-name-change

[JayBird]

Though I understand the want from some to see the name change I tend to side with the keep the name faction. Why should we erase a piece of history just because it may be embarrassing to some? Perhaps subtle reminders such as a school name will remind students what their parents/grandparents/great-grandparents overcame and that if they do not continue the trail blazed by them the same will happen to them or their children. If someone is truly upset by the name of the school, that person should look deeper inside themselves and answer why such raw emotion exists. In all likelihood a name change will not change their feelings. The one problem with history is it is written by the victorious, perhaps we should hold on to the small pieces that force us to remember the actions of the victorious upon those whom suffered.

[JayBird]

^ Good point, I did not factor that into my opinion.

[Tacachale]

^Yeah, there's no real "history" to the name. Forest had nothing to do with Jacksonville or Florida during his lifetime and the school isn't historic (unlike Lee High for instance). It didn't open until 1959 and the name was deliberately chosen as a swipe against the civil rights movement. There are some legitimate concerns about changing the name, but erasing history isn't one of them.

[JayBird]

^Yeah, there's no real "history" to the name. Forest had nothing to do with Jacksonville or Florida during his lifetime and the school isn't historic (unlike Lee High for instance). It didn't open until 1959 and the name was deliberately chosen as a swipe against the civil rights movement. There are some legitimate concerns about changing the name, but erasing history isn't one of them.

Thanks for the insight, if if was truly a swipe at the civil rights movement than I would be more apt to advocate for a name change. Might I ask what the other legitimate concerns to a name change are?

[Tacachale]

^Yeah, there's no real "history" to the name. Forest had nothing to do with Jacksonville or Florida during his lifetime and the school isn't historic (unlike Lee High for instance). It didn't open until 1959 and the name was deliberately chosen as a swipe against the civil rights movement. There are some legitimate concerns about changing the name, but erasing history isn't one of them.

Thanks for the insight, if if was truly a swipe at the civil rights movement than I would be more apt to advocate for a name change. Might I ask what the other legitimate concerns to a name change are?

It was most definitely a swipe at civil rights; it was one of several schools that opened as white-only in defiance of Brown vs. the Board of Education. Several of the other white-only schools that opened around that time were given names of Confederates with no connection to Florida (Jefferson Davis Middle, JEB Stuart Middle, etc).

^Yeah, there's no real "history" to the name. Forest had nothing to do with Jacksonville or Florida during his lifetime and the school isn't historic (unlike Lee High for instance). It didn't open until 1959 and the name was deliberately chosen as a swipe against the civil rights movement. There are some legitimate concerns about changing the name, but erasing history isn't one of them.

What are the legit concerns Tacachale?
Normally I would side with Jaybirds original post in that I typically don't like to do things for pc reasons, but in this case, I can't come up with any good reason that we, in Jacksonville, should honor Forest by having a school named after him.

To me, the most pressing argument against a change would be the considerable cost of renaming versus the largely symbolic benefit of getting rid of it. Then there's the issue that if we're changing this one, are we going to change the various other schools named after Confederates (and pay for it)?

[copperfiend]

I think one of the biggest factors mentioned the last time a name change was brought up was just the sheer cost of having to change the name.

[JayBird]

Makes sense. Wonder what those figures are. I mean, stationary is nonexistent anymore, changing a computer printout heading is simple. I guess the costs come in the signs on the building/property and any athletic uniforms. So that probably amounts to +/- $10k. Not really a deal breaker.

[DirtRoadGurl]

So i have a question since we have a African American ( Black ) President should they have to change it from The White House to The Black House?? I do not understand why they would even consider changing the name of a high school just because of the sheer fact of the History behind it. There is alot of things that was ok to do and say back it the early days. That is the reason it is called History right?  But yet in our School system they do not say the Pledge of Allegiance and can not say Prayer any longer.I know we did when i was in school. But yet they are starting to make our kids learn about muslim and other religions. Am I the only one that sees a bigger Problem in our school systems then the name of a School? But yet this is what our country has come to, lets worry about a small issue to cover up the bigger issues. I stand for the name of the high school that has been in this city since the 50's.

[MEGATRON]

At this point, I would prefer they just change the name.  However, the article presents some opinions as facts.  Most believe that Forest's KKK was much different than the KKK that we now know.  He also broke away from the KKK based on their actions and ultimately tried to bring some measure of accord between black and white societies. 

For the record, I am not defending Forrest's actions.  Just stating that the article is not entirely accurate.

[MEGATRON]

So i have a question since we have a African American ( Black ) President should they have to change it from The White House to The Black House?? I do not understand why they would even consider changing the name of a high school just because of the sheer fact of the History behind it. There is alot of things that was ok to do and say back it the early days. That is the reason it is called History right?  But yet in our School system they do not say the Pledge of Allegiance and can not say Prayer any longer.I know we did when i was in school. But yet they are starting to make our kids learn about muslim and other religions. Am I the only one that sees a bigger Problem in our school systems then the name of a School? But yet this is what our country has come to, lets worry about a small issue to cover up the bigger issues. I stand for the name of the high school that has been in this city since the 50's.

[Tacachale]

Makes sense. Wonder what those figures are. I mean, stationary is nonexistent anymore, changing a computer printout heading is simple. I guess the costs come in the signs on the building/property and any athletic uniforms. So that probably amounts to +/- $10k. Not really a deal breaker.

The costs would be pretty considerable. You have all the signs, including on offices in the building, all the letterhead, everyone's business cards, student uniforms, band and athletics uniforms, and anything referring to the school in other city publications or documents. I'm certainly not saying this is a reason to keep the name, but it's something that has to be considered.

[Bolles_Bull]

What are some reasons this was not done like 20 yrs ago? seems like a no brainer to me...

EDT: i dont get the cost argument... even if we cant afford the change right now, lets make it official that the name will be changed, even at least as a symbolic gesture.  Change the name official even if it takes years to replace old signage and update letterheds (which how expensive is this, really?)

[Bolles_Bull]

If we had a historically black highschool named malcom x high or black panther whatever middle school, do you think the powers that be would be saying its too expensive to change or history blah blah blah? seriously...

[L.P. Hovercraft]

Is there currently a Heinrich Himmler High in Germany?  Probably not, since even though he played a part in contemporary German history, the guy was a freaking Nazi.
So why is it ok to have a school in Duval named after the founder of a terrorist organization like the Ku Klux Klan?

My .02 is: you get what you pay for (or don't pay for).
It may not be an earth shattering step forward in the grand history of human progress, but I really think the city should step up, spend the money and change the name to something a bit less controversial for a high school than the founder of the KKK, history be damned.

Unless we're all just actually ok with the KKK now?!