Virginia school board votes to restore Confederate names changed in 2020

May 10

Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

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A school board in Shenandoah, Virginia, has recently voted to restore the original Confederate names for two schools that it had renamed four years ago. The decision to rename the school came in the wake of George Floyd’s death and the Black Lives Matter protests.

In 2020, the school board had 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. However, after a public meeting held on Thursday, May 9, the board decided to reconsider this change.

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The Coalition for Better Schools requested the board restore the Confederate names, arguing that they hold historical significance and have been integral parts of the community for many years. The group conducted a survey among Shenandoah citizens revealed that 91.3% expressed a desire to revert to the original names.

Attendees at the school board meeting were evenly split on the issue.

“Why are we here tonight,” one man who spoke against the reversal asked. “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?”

However, others spoke in favor of the name change, believing that Shenandoah County would overwhelmingly vote in favor of restoring the names.

Those against reverting to the Confederate names argued for more inclusive names for the students who attend the schools. Meanwhile, those in favor were reportedly upset with how the school board had swiftly changed the school names in 2020 without seeking public input.

All six seats on the board are now held by different people than in 2020, according to CNN reports. Board member Gloria Carlineo criticized the 2020 school board, stating that members ignored the people they represented when making the initial name change.

The implementation of the school name changes cost more than $300,000 in 2021, as documented by the school board.

Tags: Confederacy, Racism, School districts, Virginia

[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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