The South shall rise again: Virginia School Board Votes to change school names back

[Bill]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68985412

Virginia school board votes to restore Confederate names
16 hours ago
By Sam Cabral,BBC News


A Virginia school board has approved a motion for two schools to revert to their Confederate names following a debate that bitterly divided a town.

The Shenandoah County School Board voted 5-1 to reinstate the names of Stonewall Jackson High and Ashby-Lee Elementary in Quicksburg.

Community members had been pushing for a reversal, arguing the 2020 name change was unpopular.

The vote marked the first such U-turn anywhere in the US.

A large crowd flocked to the school board's public meeting on Thursday to listen to a series of arguments from residents on both sides of the issue.

Following the May 2020 murder of George Floyd and a summer of racial justice unrest, Virginia and other states took down Confederate statues from public spaces.

In a letter to school board chairs across the state, then-Democratic Governor Ralph Northam said: "It is time to change school names and mascots that memorialize Confederate leaders or sympathizers."


The schools were named after Confederate generals Robert E Lee and Stonewall Jackson, and cavalry commander Turner Ashby.

In doing so, the six-member panel also approved a resolution condemning racism and affirming its "commitment to an inclusive school environment for all".

But some critics slammed the renaming effort as a hasty and undemocratic move, and have since attempted to restore the schools' Confederate names as local elections reshaped the school board.

A 2022 vote on the matter failed by a tied 3-3 vote - but the three who voted against the move have since been replaced on the school board.

In April, a local conservative community group, the Coalition for Better Schools, brought up the request again, pointing to citizen surveys it conducted that "indicate overwhelming support for this restoration".

"These groups hold historical significance," the group wrote in a letter to the school board, and "revisiting this decision is essential to honor our community's heritage and respect the wishes of the majority."

According to local media, the group says it will raise private funds to cover expenses related to the name reversal, such as changing school signage.

Its effort is drawing attention across the state, with the Virginia chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), a civil rights organisation, urging the school board in a letter on Wednesday to "use your power in a way that positively impacts all your district's children and their families".

Neil Thorne, a local resident campaigning against the U-turn with a group called Claim the Names, warned "it will indelibly damage our community's reputation".

Minority members of the community still recall when Stonewall Jackson High was "whites-only" and they had to be bussed to schools in adjacent counties, he said.

"The naming of these schools was not incidental but reflected the segregated policies of the time," he said in a statement.

"The people who suffered through this are not past strangers - they are people we know, they are our friends and neighbours."

Shenandoah County, in northern Virginia, was once a stronghold of the pro-slavery South, with its ample valley providing food, security and transportation advantages.

During the US Civil War, Confederate forces waged several successful military campaigns against the Union army there.

The county is now home to more than 44,000 people, and is predominantly white.

Black residents often live and work in towns where Confederate flags are displayed on front porches. Many of those who fly the banner defend it as a celebration of heritage, not a symbol of hatred.

Funny how voting out board members you don't feel represent you and voting in those that do represent you is "undemocratic."

[KenHorse]

Good!

Gotta beat back the Marxist/Democrat (but I repeat myself) hordes!!

[JRD77VET]

THAT is great news. History is based on facts, removing names does NOT ALTER THE FACTS.

[Yadkin]

Awesome.

[LATB]

Back with my wife in Tennessee
When one day she called to me
"Virgil, quick, come see,
There goes Robert E. Lee!"
Now, I don't mind chopping wood
And I don't care if the money's no good
You take what you need
And you leave the rest
But they should never
Have taken the very best

[Bill]

[KenHorse]

Originally Posted by LATB

Back with my wife in Tennessee
When one day she called to me
"Virgil, quick, come see,
There goes Robert E. Lee!"
Now, I don't mind chopping wood
And I don't care if the money's no good
You take what you need
And you leave the rest
But they should never
Have taken the very best

The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down (liked The Band's version best)

[zeek]

Great start! Now if only they would change the Mississippi state flag back to its original with the stars and bars on it...

[slewfoot]

Many just don't understand history. Good or bad, the negative side or perceived that way, should not be erased but to remind and tell the story.

[LATB]

Originally Posted by KenHorse

The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down (liked The Band's version best)

One of my all time favorites.

Robbie wrote the song with Levon’s voice in his head. In effect he wrote the song for Levon. And boy did Mr Levon Helm crush it. His voice and cadence is excellent. His timing perfect.

The song gives me chills every time I listen to it. I don’t know what it is but it brings up an emotion in me almost to tears. It makes me happy and sad at the same time. I freaking love that song.

[LATB]

Enjoy

YouTube (Short URL)

[Big bob]

Originally Posted by JRD77VET

THAT is great news. History is based on facts, removing names does NOT ALTER THE FACTS.

But the facts are the war was never about slavery and Lincoln never freed them.

[KenHorse]

Originally Posted by Big bob

But the facts are the war was never about slavery and Lincoln never freed them.

True, Democrats owned slaves then and they still own their slaves now

[DDSLT5]

THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN!!!!!! LOVE IT!!!!!

[ZipZap]

When the yankees reach @Tikiman all will be lost.

[6spdC6]

Originally Posted by DDSLT5

THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN!!!!!! LOVE IT!!!!!

The sooner the better!

[theandies]

Originally Posted by zeek

Great start! Now if only they would change the Mississippi state flag back to its original with the stars and bars on it...

And change the name of Washington football team back to the REDSKINS.

See, we backwards ****s in Virginia are not really turning blue.

[theandies]

Originally Posted by KenHorse

True, Democrats owned slaves then and they still own their slaves now

After all Biden did say they'd all be back in chains or something stupid like that.

[Tikiman]

Originally Posted by theandies

After all Biden did say they'd all be back in chains or something stupid like that.

[DDSLT5]

Originally Posted by theandies

And change the name of Washington football team back to the REDSKINS.

See, we backwards ****s in Virginia are not really turning blue.

And let's get the Indians back as well. Pure Dumb****ery.