VHSL Schools Name Changes in 2021

[MascotMemorizer]

So far, three VHSL members will be changing their school names as of July 1, 2021. They are:

T.C. Williams High School “Titans _- Alexandria City High School “Titans”
George Mason High School “Mustangs” -- Meridian High School “Mustangs”
Woodrow Wilson High School “Presidents” – Manor High School “Mustangs”

Haven’t heard anything yet on the Stonewall Jackson (Quicksburg) name situation.

 

[wikki]

ridiculous

 

[colonel 72]

This is not bringing people together. It divides us further.

 

[WP02alum]

So far, three VHSL members will be changing their school names as of July 1, 2021. They are:

T.C. Williams High School “Titans _- Alexandria City High School “Titans”
George Mason High School “Mustangs” -- Meridian High School “Mustangs”
Woodrow Wilson High School “Presidents” – Manor High School “Mustangs”

Haven’t heard anything yet on the Stonewall Jackson (Quicksburg) name situation.

Is Manor the new name for Wilson in Portsmouth? Manor HS was there long before Portsmouth consolidated and renamed it Wilson. Nice to see history honored.

 

[FoxesPride]

I believe Washington and Lee is being changed to Westmoreland High School.

 

[MascotMemorizer]

I believe Washington and Lee is being changed to Westmoreland High School.

Wow! I didn't realize that. I knew they change the other Washington-Lee to Washington-Liberty a few years ago.

 

[iDidntGetBanned]

All schools should either be called by the name of the town or neighborhood or do what they do in New York and call the high school PS #23. No Donald Trump High School or Barack Obama High School bs… Our country is in a bad shape. Can’t make everyone happy so make everything fair to everyone.

 

[rainman17]

All schools should either be called by the name of the town or neighborhood or do what they do in New York and call the high school PS #23. No Donald Trump High School or Barack Obama High School bs… Our country is in a bad shape. Can’t make everyone happy so make everything fair to everyone.

As an educator would you be comfortable working in a school called Auschwitz HS? Do you believe that every student would feel included, welcome, or safe? At a point we have to become civil about things that make common sense, if it could offend someone and there be a valid supporting argument for their need to take offense why is it deemed PC or that it’s an overreaction. Also the high schools in New York gave names aside from the PS #. In an area like Nova or metropolitan areas some schools are separated by a half of a mile so the neighborhood or town idea works some places but not others where it’s more populous.

 

[iDidntGetBanned]

As an educator would you be comfortable working in a school called Auschwitz HS? Do you believe that every student would feel included, welcome, or safe? At a point we have to become civil about things that make common sense, if it could offend someone and there be a valid supporting argument for their need to take offense why is it deemed PC or that it’s an overreaction. Also the high schools in New York gave names aside from the PS #. In an area like Nova or metropolitan areas some schools are separated by a half of a mile so the neighborhood or town idea works some places but not others where it’s more populous.

Let’s use common sense. How many places in the United States are naming their school Auschwitz HS?If it’s offensive to somebody, don’t use it. In Richmond for example:
Armstrong > East End High School
John Marshall > Northside High School
George Wythe > Southside High School
Maggie Walker > Richmond Governors School
Thomas Dale > Chester High School
JR Tucker > Parham High School
Freeman > Three Chopt High
Godwin> Tuckerhoe High

Look at all of these examples. It’s not hard and we don’t have to overthink it. I’m black and I don’t think it’s fair if you name a school after Barack Obama and have a problem with Donald Trump or George Bush High School.

 

[WP02alum]

It’s easy to want to name a school after someone, but rarely is there a full look into that person’s history before it happens (think politician vetting). So this is the best solution IMO. Make sure it’s geographically-focused.

 

[rainman17]

Let’s use common sense. How many places in the United States are naming their school Auschwitz HS?If it’s offensive to somebody, don’t use it. In Richmond for example:
Armstrong > East End High School
John Marshall > Northside High School
George Wythe > Southside High School
Maggie Walker > Richmond Governors School
Thomas Dale > Chester High School
JR Tucker > Parham High School
Freeman > Three Chopt High
Godwin> Tuckerhoe High

Look at all of these examples. It’s not hard and we don’t have to overthink it. I’m black and I don’t think it’s fair if you name a school after Barack Obama and have a problem with Donald Trump or George Bush High School.

Wasn’t composing it to be about race but rather how a name could have implications that offend someone else. Common sense is as you said if it’s offensive don’t use it, but ideally nothing is wrong with naming schools after individuals you just have to gauge their moral content and character, some great influential people are terrible humans. It’s not a matter of overthinking you used geography for the big ones and the street pretty much for the rest who fell into those same geographical regions. I just have a feeling you’ll have multiple north side highs and etc, there’s no perfect system but common sense says someone might be offended by a slave owner, secessionist or bigot although they serve historical context they might’ve not been the one to immortalize.

 

[17Bluebird]

All schools should either be called by the name of the town or neighborhood or do what they do in New York and call the high school PS #23. No Donald Trump High School or Barack Obama High School bs… Our country is in a bad shape. Can’t make everyone happy so make everything fair to everyone.

Name of the town is ok but don't name the school with a number like they do in New York. If you want to make the schools in your neighborhood better try running for local School Board.

 

[rainman17]

It’s easy to want to name a school after someone, but rarely is there a full look into that person’s history before it happens (think politician vetting). So this is the best solution IMO. Make sure it’s geographically-focused.

Agreed but a simple dive into someone’s history especially in the modern day isn’t too difficult to do and as you see can save you a lot of hassle and debate.

 

[Lafayette]

In New Jersey where there are over 350 high schools 99% are named after the town or city. A few that are regional (more than one town) do have names , but very few. Makes it simple and easy.

 

[rainman17]

Honestly there was less than 10 name changes are we really up in arms to this extent because a few school are changing names.

 

[FoxesPride]

It’s easy to want to name a school after someone, but rarely is there a full look into that person’s history before it happens (think politician vetting). So this is the best solution IMO. Make sure it’s geographically-focused.

The problem with that is someone will be offended by whomever is chosen. MLK was against same sex marriage, boy, that would go over swimmingly nowadays! There's no easy answer, as an historian, it is much easier for me to put things into context. I have absolutely no issue with anything being named after George Washington, but others will have a completely different perspective. King George county was named after the pro-slavery King George I of England...so there goes the locality argument! I think there needs to be less wokeness, but also more empathy. Let's meet somewhere in the middle.

 

[WP02alum]

You’re right. Many locations are named after historical figures. It does get challenging tiptoeing all the time. Can’t argue.

 

[mmqp 4.0]

Let’s use common sense. How many places in the United States are naming their school Auschwitz HS?If it’s offensive to somebody, don’t use it. In Richmond for example:
Armstrong > East End High School
John Marshall > Northside High School
George Wythe > Southside High School
Maggie Walker > Richmond Governors School
Thomas Dale > Chester High School
JR Tucker > Parham High School
Freeman > Three Chopt High
Godwin> Tuckerhoe High

Look at all of these examples. It’s not hard and we don’t have to overthink it. I’m black and I don’t think it’s fair if you name a school after Barack Obama and have a problem with Donald Trump or George Bush High School.

Well thought out. And the way it should have been to begin with.

There should have never been a Stonewall Jackson High in Mount Jackson.. it should have been Mount Jackson, and there was a school with that name previously. Lee of Staunton should have been Staunton all along. Woodrow Wilson should have been Portsmouth or Portsmouth Central all along.

The problem is there should also be a Springfield High right now rather than a Lewis/Robert E. Lee High. Instead they changed the name to a polarizing figure, but since it fit their narrative it's all good.

And as you can already see in the posts after this, where does it end? Change the names of schools to the localities? People will complain because of who the locality is named after. So what will eventually happen is the push to rename cities and states. It's coming at the rate we're going.

I think it would help a lot if the folks who are all for renaming the schools to their favorite politicians or figures to acknowledge that Yes, they want the names changed for their own reasons and No, they do not care if their favorite politicians/figures are/were themselves racist, bigoted, etc.

 

[mmqp 4.0]

In New Jersey where there are over 350 high schools 99% are named after the town or city. A few that are regional (more than one town) do have names , but very few. Makes it simple and easy.

Y'all have cool names for schools there; Pequannock, Weequahic, Toms River North/South/East...my only question how the heck did you differentiate between the seemingly dozen or so Saint Joseph High Schools?? I know I'm exaggerating that number but there are at least 4 off the top of my head right now lol.

 

[Lafayette]

Y'all have cool names for schools there; Pequannock, Weequahic, Toms River North/South/East...my only question how the heck did you differentiate between the seemingly dozen or so Saint Joseph High Schools?? I know I'm exaggerating that number but there are at least 4 off the top of my head right now lol.

For the the private catholic schools the name is always followed by the town it’s located in all articles on sports events. ie: St Joseph- Toms River.

 

[tommythecpa]

In 1971 GW went from maroon and gray Cardinals to navy and silver Eagles.

 

[1MoreHokie]

Like I said before, tired of naming places that matter in this world after losers. Robert E. Lee was a traitor, a slave owner, and fought to maintain his right to buy, sell, and treat black people as he saw fit. He also went to his grave opposing racial equality and was vehemently against black people being allowed to vote.

Why, in a country whose history is littered with actual winners and success stories, do we need General Couldn't-Win-A-War High School? Are we to believe our greatest members of this state, the best our Virginian heritage has to offer, is that sad sack of traitors who spent four years murdering their fellow Americans in the name of slavery? Surely, we can do better. Surely, we must.

 

[FoxesPride]

Here's some ideas:. (1) LtGen Lewis "Chesty" Puller - most decorated Marine ever, born in West Point (2) Desmond Doss - featured in the movie "Hacksaw Ridge", born in Lynchburg (3) William Henry Johnson (WWI soldier) - just read his bio on wikipedia, dear God, we should all know about this guy! Black soldier who was wounded 21 times during hand to hand combat wherein he killed numerous German soldiers. Awarded the Medal of Honor recently.

 

[WP02alum]

Chesty Puller, pride of WP!

 

[SFUWO]

In 1971 GW went from maroon and gray Cardinals to navy and silver Eagles.

I was wondering why they had different team colors on fourseasonsfootball

 

[bceagle47]

More politics please!

 

[courtlandcougars1987]

Robert E Lee's only reason for leading the Army of Northern Virginia was the meaningful fact he was born and raised in Virginia and told Lincoln in a letter, if the North plans to invade Virginia, then he woukd have no other choice but to defend good ole virginny. Remember most all of the major generals were at west point together, but made choices by virtue of thier home state, regardless if they had, owned any of that terrible mess. Woke got thier foot in the door, no one shut them down especially the Dems, now every little thing is called the R , B, H words. My neighbor is black and for 17 years our families have had a great time side by side. No more peacefull protests with buildings burning in background. News media lies is largest proponent of why we are where we are! Sick of it, hurry up fall, we need more HS football😊

 

[colonel 72]

Like I said before, tired of naming places that matter in this world after losers. Robert E. Lee was a traitor, a slave owner, and fought to maintain his right to buy, sell, and treat black people as he saw fit. He also went to his grave opposing racial equality and was vehemently against black people being allowed to vote.

Why, in a country whose history is littered with actual winners and success stories, do we need General Couldn't-Win-A-War High School? Are we to believe our greatest members of this state, the best our Virginian heritage has to offer, is that sad sack of traitors who spent four years murdering their fellow Americans in the name of slavery? Surely, we can do better. Surely, we must.

 

[colonel 72]

Your post disgusts me to no end. Robert Edward Lee was no loser. He made a difficult choice instead of taking command of the Union army. That would have been the easy choice to make. Read history, I do and will continue to. Lee was not perfect but he certainly was not the kind of man as you so ignorantly described him. Maybe we should not name schools after people anymore. Just give them a community name and no one will be offended. But what you said offends me to no end.

 

[EBLR]

Your post disgusts me to no end. Robert Edward Lee was no loser. He made a difficult choice instead of taking command of the Union army. That would have been the easy choice to make. Read history, I do and will continue to. Lee was not perfect but he certainly was not the kind of man as you so ignorantly described him. Maybe we should not name schools after people anymore. Just give them a community name and no one will be offended. But what you said offends me to no end.

Robert E. Lee was the general for the losing side of the war. Factually, that makes him a loser General. He did make a "difficult" decision I guess but he chose to support the oppression of people rather than the end of slavery. I am from Virginia and love where I am from but I would not support wrong. Robert E. Lee supported wrong. Point blank, period.

Anyway, any school name with Confederate ties should have been wiped away a long time ago. I don't know how any black person played for Lee-Davis High School in Mechanicsville and represented a Confederate. I also don't understand how people can be upset about name changes like that. Sheer ignorance in my opinion.

 

[EBLR]

More politics please!

The funny thing is the original post was just informative. Others made it political. No shade at you @bceagle47 but I just find that funny. The same people that want politics off the board are the ones who made this thread that way.

 

[rainman17]

The funny thing is the original post was just informative. Others made it political. No shade at you @bceagle47 but I just find that funny. The same people that want politics off the board are the ones who made this thread that way.

This topic always grinds gears one way or the other particularly in the southern part of the country. I do understand wanting to commemorate historical figures but sometimes a museum, history class, or word of mouth is the best place for that rather than an educational institution that’s supposed to be open, inclusive, and a safe environment. I don’t think a name makes a place unsafe but it could convey differing emotions for different people.
We established that nothing is going to accommodate everyone and keep us all happy but there has been some middle ground found.

 

[bceagle47]

How about if you mention a school you have to mention a great player from that school. A great coach from that school. A great game that involved that school BEFORE any political diatribe? Since we talkin’ history we might as well put a lil’ football in it.

 

[LionNation540]

I personally don't care if schools are named after people or locations. There should be a John Mercer Langston High School. That's what I call a historical winner of the USA. He was born in Louisa. Danville has an alternative school named after him.

Or a James E. West High School. Born in Farmville. Big time inventor.

Heck, why not a John H. Gibbons High School? Born in Harrisonburg. Big time scientist.

 

[colonel 72]

Robert E. Lee was the general for the losing side of the war. Factually, that makes him a loser General. He did make a "difficult" decision I guess but he chose to support the oppression of people rather than the end of slavery. I am from Virginia and love where I am from but I would not support wrong. Robert E. Lee supported wrong. Point blank, period.

Anyway, any school name with Confederate ties should have been wiped away a long time ago. I don't know how any black person played for Lee-Davis High School in Mechanicsville and represented a Confederate. I also don't understand how people can be upset about name changes like that. Sheer ignorance in my opinion.

He is not a loser because he fought on the losing side. Vietnam War veterans are not losers because they fought on the losing side. Lee did not choose to suppress people he chose to fight to defend his home state knowing that his home and land was a mile from the nations Capitol across the Potomac River and he would surely lose that after the first shot was fired. He was a man of his time. 2021 is a different time than 1861. Don't hold people of that time to the standards of our time.

 

[colonel 72]

He is not a loser because he fought on the losing side. Vietnam War veterans are not losers because they fought on the losing side. Lee did not choose to suppress people he chose to fight to defend his home state knowing that his home and land was a mile from the nations Capitol across the Potomac River and he would surely lose that after the first shot was fired. He was a man of his time. 2021 is a different time than 1861. Don't hold people of that time to the standards of our time.

One more thing about Lee. To find his true greatness dont look at him as a general. Look at him as a citizen after the war and what he did and how he acted to help the country heal. We need more of that today.

 

[-COUNTRY-CLUB-JOE-]

Salem needs to be changed because it evokes racist imagery from sharing the name of a Confederate battery - Salem Flying Artillery created in 1860 under the command of Captain Abraham Hupp.

 

[iDidntGetBanned]

One more thing about Lee. To find his true greatness dont look at him as a general. Look at him as a citizen after the war and what he did and how he acted to help the country heal. We need more of that today.

I know who you are LOL! But I agree with you. This PC culture and telling things to one side of a narrative is sickening.

 

[1MoreHokie]

He is not a loser because he fought on the losing side. Vietnam War veterans are not losers because they fought on the losing side. Lee did not choose to suppress people he chose to fight to defend his home state knowing that his home and land was a mile from the nations Capitol across the Potomac River and he would surely lose that after the first shot was fired. He was a man of his time. 2021 is a different time than 1861. Don't hold people of that time to the standards of our time.

Garbage post. Lee was not a "man of his time". Let's dispel this crap logic right now: millions of people in the 1860s were against the notion of owning other people both in the US and across the world. The fact that trash garbage from the South thought otherwise doesn't make them "men of their time". Our ancestors weren't so stupid as to think slavery was just how things worked back then, plenty of them knew it was wrong and we literally, not figuratively, went to war over stopping it.

The fact that Lee lived the rest of his life in opposition of racial equality and the ability for blacks to even vote speaks to his character or lack thereof and your excuses of his actions speak to where you stand on the matter of that war.

Isn't it weird that the US was bringing up the rear on abolishing slavery and they needed a war costing millions of lives to figure out it was a bad thing? It's sad and pathetic that the rest of the modern world at that time not only beat America to the punch but they managed to do so without shedding blood.

I feel like you or someone else ITT is two inches from "muh states rights" argument for the war, I hope to see it.

 

[colonel 72]

Garbage post. Lee was not a "man of his time". Let's dispel this crap logic right now: millions of people in the 1860s were against the notion of owning other people both in the US and across the world. The fact that trash garbage from the South thought otherwise doesn't make them "men of their time". Our ancestors weren't so stupid as to think slavery was just how things worked back then, plenty of them knew it was wrong and we literally, not figuratively, went to war over stopping it.

The fact that Lee lived the rest of his life in opposition of racial equality and the ability for blacks to even vote speaks to his character or lack thereof and your excuses of his actions speak to where you stand on the matter of that war.

Isn't it weird that the US was bringing up the rear on abolishing slavery and they needed a war costing millions of lives to figure out it was a bad thing? It's sad and pathetic that the rest of the modern world at that time not only beat America to the punch but they managed to do so without shedding blood.

I feel like you or someone else ITT is two inches from "muh states rights" argument for the war, I hope to see it.

Slavery WAS the worse thing this country practiced. Never should have started it. Should have been stopped during Constitutional Convention but it was not. But one thing people like YOU need to know is the ante bellum South DID NOT START SLAVERY!! But we had to deal with it. Lee was a man of his time so understand that. Practically every civilization has had slavery in some form and one could argue that we still have it today. Actually we do if you keep up with what is going on in some of the under developed parts of the world. I also have read a book titled Up From Slavery by John Hope Franklin and have read articles by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., both of whom are Black that talk about Black involvement in the African slave trade. So there is a lot of guilt and shame to go around. Not a simple issue at all. Hope you enjoyed this garbage post. You may reply to this or not but it will be my last post on the subject. Back to high school sports. PS. The South Shall Rise Again. Rebel yell in background.