The CMS Board has just announced plans to rename all schools that were originally named after people who might be seen as glorifying “a racist, hateful and painful past”.
During yesterday’s virtual board meeting, CMS Superintendent Earnest Winston said; “we know changing the school’s name is largely symbolic, but it is an important step in the right direction,”
Here is the full meeting along with the statement to rename schools with names tied to the confederacy and racism:
Superintendent Winston noted that one of the first names to be changed is Z.B. Vance High School, which was originally named after Zebulon B. Vance, a North Carolina governor who owned slaves and who fought to preserve the institution of slavery and the rebellion of the confederate states.
During the meeting, Winston noted that; “Vance owned slaves and as governor of North Carolina spoke out against and fought anti-discrimination laws and other protections for racial minorities. His is not the example we want to project for our students, families and staff.”
CMS staff will now be reviewing the names of all 175 schools in the district and will change any school “named after individuals who owned slaves or promoted slavery, expressed racist or bigoted views, actively fought against equality”.
What do you think about the decision?