Virginia school district holds vote to reinstate Confederate names to two schools

Following the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, many states with statues honoring Confederate leaders made the decision to take them down. Similarly, schools named after people who played an important role in the Confederacy were renamed.

However, a school district in Virginia recently voted to reinstate the names of two schools four years after the district renamed the schools in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

On Friday, the Shenandoah County school board voted 5-1 to reverse a 2020 decision that renamed Stonewall Jackson High as School Mountain View High School and Ashby Lee Elementary as Honey Run Elementary.

Following the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, many states with statues honoring Confederate leaders made the decision to take them down. Similarly, schools named after people who played an important role in the Confederacy were renamed.

However, a school district in Virginia recently voted to reinstate the names of two schools four years after the district renamed the schools in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Read More

On Friday, the Shenandoah County school board voted 5-1 to reverse a 2020 decision that renamed Stonewall Jackson High as School Mountain View High School and Ashby Lee Elementary as Honey Run Elementary.

The decision, which was expected in the more than 90 percent white county, reversed a previous “knee-jerk” response to the 2020 protests.

Malachi Jacobs / Shutterstock.com

During a public meeting, both supporters and those in opposition of the name change expressed their opinions.

“It is your job to make our schools a place where all students are valued and respected,” Aliyah Ogle, a Black eighth grader and athlete at Mountain View High School said. “If this board decides to restore the names, I would not feel like I was valued and respected and you would not be doing your job.”

Meanwhile, Tom Streett, one of the board members who voted for the reinstatement said, “When you read about this man — who he was, what he stood for, his character, his loyalty, his leadership, how Godly a man he was — those standards that he had were much higher than any leadership of the school system in 2020.”

Mccallk69 / Shutterstock.com

Those in attendance argued board members were not listening to the citizens of the county, but instead listening to “the opinions of woke outsiders.”

“When you vote on the name restorations, will you listen to the opinions of woke outsiders who have for the most part no ties to the land, the history, or the culture of this county?” Stuart Didawick asked. “Or will you listen to the voices of the people who elected you to represent them, the people whose families built and have sustained this county for generations?”

On the other hand, Stephanie Bullock Smith, a Black woman who graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School in 1983 said, “Please do not go back in history. We don’t need that. Our children don’t need that either.”

 

Related Posts

How big are the world’s breasts? Fetish model with 102ZZZ bazoombas that hurt your back

Anne Hawkins-Turner, known by the stage name Norma Stitz, holds the record for the largest breasts in history, measuring an astonishing 102ZZZ. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, in…

Oklahoma liquor store faced backlash over ‘offensive’ sign in their window

It’s getting increasingly easy to subscribe to the feeling that people nowadays can find a reason to be offended by pretty much everything. While it may be…

Veteran unable to pay for his groceries turns around to hear customer say “It’s our turn”

We can all fall on hard times and experience tough periods in life. It should go without saying that when we do, we deserve the love and…

Women at bachelorette party spot chilling detail in photo – leave for home immediately

If you’re anything like me, you’ll have a tendency to look over photos you’ve captured in the hours, days, weeks after you’ve taken them. Personally, I’m a…

Girl, 6, dies in freak badminton accident – wanted to be ‘saved’

A New Jersey family is mourning the tragic loss of their 6-year-old daughter, Lucy Morgan, who died in a freak accident while on vacation. The incident occurred…

Donald Sutherland dead at 88: iconic actor starred in “MASH,” “Ordinary People,” “Hunger Games”

Donald Sutherland, the acclaimed and prolific actor who starred in countless beloved films across his five-decade career, has died at 88. Sutherland’s career ranged from early breakout…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *