Virginia school board votes to restore Confederate names changed in 2020

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE SCHOOL BOARD IN SHENANDOAH, VIRGINIA HAS VOTED TO RESTORE CONFEDERATE NAMES FOR TWO SCHOOLS IT RENAMED FOUR YEARS AGO IN THE WAKE OF GEORGE FLOYD’S DEATH AND THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS.

IN 2020 – THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED TO CHANGE THE NAMES OF STONEWALL JACKSON HIGH SCHOOL AND ASHBY-LEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL – TO MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL AND HONEY RUN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

ON THURSDAY – THE BOARD HELD A PUBLIC MEETING TO GATHER INPUT FROM CONSTITUENTS – AFTER THE COALITION FOR BETTER SCHOOLS ASKED THE BOARD IN APRIL TO CONSIDER RESTORING THE CONFEDERATE NAMES SAYING THEY HOLD HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND HAVE BEEN INTEGRAL PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS. 

THE GROUP SAID IT CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF SHENANDOAH CITIZENS AND FOUND THAT 91.3% EXPRESSED DESIRE TO REVERT THE NAMES TO THE ORIGINAL NAMES.

REPORTS SAY ATTENDEES AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING WERE EVENLY SPLIT FOR AND AGAINST THE CHANGE.

[MEETING ATTENDEES]

“WHY ARE WE HERE TONIGHT. TO GO BACK TO A TIME IN HISTORY THAT WAS VERY CRUEL? WHERE HATRED AND RACISM CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTY AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.”

“BUT I BELIEVE SHENANDOAH COUNTY WOULD VOTE OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOR OF RESTORING THE NAMES.”>

 [LAUREN TAYLOR]

THOSE AGAINST REVERTING TO THE CONFEDERATE NAMES SAID THEY WANTED INCLUSIVE NAMES FOR THE STUDENTS WHO ATTEND THE SCHOOLS.

AND THOSE IN FAVOR WERE REPORTEDLY  MOSTLY UPSET WITH HOW THE BOARD WENT ABOUT CHANGING THE SCHOOL NAMES IN 2020 SAYING IT WAS DONE QUICKLY AND WITHOUT PUBLIC INPUT.

ALL 6 SEATS OF THE BOARD ARE NOW HELD BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAN 2020 – CNN REPORTS.

BOARD MEMBER GLORIA CARLINEO SAID THE 2020 SCHOOL BOARD IGNORED THE PEOPLE THEY REPRESENTED WHEN THEY MADE THE CHANGE.

ACCORDING TO SCHOOL BOARD DOCUMENTS, IT COST MORE THAN $300-THOUSAND DOLLARS TO IMPLEMENT THE SCHOOL NAME CHANGES.

AFTER A FIVE HOURS-LONG MEETING – THE SHENANDOAH SCHOOL BOARD VOTED 5-1 TO REVERT THE SCHOOL NAMES BACK TO STONEWALL JACKSON HIGH SCHOOL AND ASHBY LEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

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