San Francisco may rename school named for Washington

[San Lumen]

https://www.npr.org/2021/01/28/96151139 ... and-others

San Francisco is pushing ahead with a plan to rename dozens of public schools, committing to potentially remove names of public figures such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. The board voted 6-1.

Mayor London Breed said she doesn;t think its conversation that should be had right now and thinks it ought to involve the public before a final decisions is made.

The school board passed a resolution in May 2018 to change names if the person "engaged in the subjugation and enslavement of human beings; or who oppressed women, inhibiting societal progress; or whose actions led to genocide; or who otherwise significantly diminished the opportunities of those amongst us to the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Among schools the panel recommended be renamed are those named for former President Herbert Hoover, naturalist John Muir, Revolutionary War figure Paul Revere and author Robert Louis Stevenson. Former President James Monroe is also on the list, who is known to have held enslaved people, as did Washington and Jefferson.

I think its an incredibly stupid idea and these people shouldn't be on a school board. If you want to rename something named for Jefferson Davis that's one thing but to change name of something named for Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson who while flawed contributed greatly to the nation is absurd.

You might as well adopt a policy of anything named for anyone from before at least the 1930s has to be changed. We should rename Washington DC and the other state capitals named for Presidents while we are at it. They should have a public forum and they will see how unpopular this plan almost certainly would be.

Your Thoughts NSG?

[The Reformed American Republic]

Stupid. It's one thing to rename a school that's named after a Confederate, but the Founding Fathers are part of our identity. People so offended by that can leave.

[Farnhamia]

Stupid. It's one thing to rename a school that's named after a Confederate, but the Founding Fathers are part of our identity. People so offended by that can leave.

Love it or list it ... I mean, love it or leave it, eh? You can always re-rename them later.

[Galloism]

Stupid. It's one thing to rename a school that's named after a Confederate, but the Founding Fathers are part of our identity. People so offended by that can leave.

Love it or list it ... I mean, love it or leave it, eh? You can always re-rename them later.

I’m just amused they included Feinstein.

[Albrenia]

I swear some of these people wake up in the morning planning to get themselves thrown out of government.

[Kowani]

ah yay
an outrage bait culture war thread
because that's really what we needed


(but Feinstein should go)

[Nekostan-e Gharbi]

It seems that it is necessary to name things after numbers, cats, dogs, chemical elements, software and other politically and socially neutral entities.

8th Oxygen High School
16th Sulfur High School
34th Selenium Middle School

That will permanently fix these problems.

[Names Are Too Hard]

Didn’t they include Sherman in that list?

[Picairn]

Really? Amidst a pandemic, with students imprisoned at home and studying online, and the Board wants to... rename schools?

I see that they have clear priorities in mind.

[Farnhamia]

Love it or list it ... I mean, love it or leave it, eh? You can always re-rename them later.

I’m just amused they included Feinstein.

The list is kind of amusing. Well, hey, it's California. They're due to repeal the law of gravity again soon.

[Farnhamia]

Didn’t they include Sherman in that list?

And Peabody!

[San Lumen]

Really? Amidst a pandemic, with students imprisoned at home and studying online, and the Board wants to... rename schools?

I see that they have clear priorities in mind.

That's exactly what the mayor said. These people should not be on a school board and I hope they are all voted out next election.

[The Black Forrest]

https://www.npr.org/2021/01/28/961511395/san-francisco-may-rename-schools-named-after-washington-lincoln-and-others

San Francisco is pushing ahead with a plan to rename dozens of public schools, committing to potentially remove names of public figures such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. The board voted 6-1.

Mayor London Breed said she doesn;t think its conversation that should be had right now and thinks it ought to involve the public before a final decisions is made.

The school board passed a resolution in May 2018 to change names if the person "engaged in the subjugation and enslavement of human beings; or who oppressed women, inhibiting societal progress; or whose actions led to genocide; or who otherwise significantly diminished the opportunities of those amongst us to the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Among schools the panel recommended be renamed are those named for former President Herbert Hoover, naturalist John Muir, Revolutionary War figure Paul Revere and author Robert Louis Stevenson. Former President James Monroe is also on the list, who is known to have held enslaved people, as did Washington and Jefferson.

I think its an incredibly stupid idea and these people shouldn't be on a school board. If you want to rename something named for Jefferson Davis that's one thing but to change name of something named for Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson who while flawed contributed greatly to the nation is absurd.

You might as well adopt a policy of anything named for anyone from before at least the 1930s has to be changed. We should rename Washington DC and the other state capitals named for Presidents while we are at it. They should have a public forum and they will see how unpopular this plan almost certainly would be.

Your Thoughts NSG?

The mayor has already slapped back. We are in the middle of a pandemic, kids are out the classroom and this is what you want to do?

[Salus Maior]

San Francisco does dumb things every now and then.

Anything to make them feel better about themselves without dealing with real problems, like their homeless.

[The Two Jerseys]

Can we trade California statehood for Puerto Rico statehood?

[San Lumen]

San Francisco does dumb things every now and then.

Anything to make them feel better about themselves without dealing with real problems, like their homeless.

I used to idolize that city and dreamed of moving there but seeing proposals like this makes me think twice about it.

[The Black Forrest]

Can we trade California statehood for Puerto Rico statehood?

Bad idea. The GDP loss to the US......

[San Lumen]

Can we trade California statehood for Puerto Rico statehood?

First of all the GOP and why should the whole state suffer because a few people in one city are far left radicals?

[The Reformed American Republic]

Stupid. It's one thing to rename a school that's named after a Confederate, but the Founding Fathers are part of our identity. People so offended by that can leave.

Love it or list it ... I mean, love it or leave it, eh? You can always re-rename them later.

It's just dumb to rename everything because past historical figures aren't politically correct. Are we going to get rid of everything not half-baked by a gender and ethnic studies class? If Mongolia can look up to Khan, then certainly we can look up to Jefferson.

[Albrenia]

If Mongolia can look up to Khan, then certainly we can look up to Jefferson.

Not really the argument I'd use, to be honest.

[Nekostan-e Gharbi]

Love it or list it ... I mean, love it or leave it, eh? You can always re-rename them later.

It's just dumb to rename everything because past historical figures aren't politically correct. Are we going to get rid of everything not half-baked by a gender and ethnic studies class? If Mongolia can look up to Khan, then certainly we can look up to Jefferson.

I think that’s a strong argument for naming schools after neutral entities such as chemical elements. If even that’s too much we have numbers.

[San Lumen]

Love it or list it ... I mean, love it or leave it, eh? You can always re-rename them later.

It's just dumb to rename everything because past historical figures aren't politically correct. Are we going to get rid of everything not half-baked by a gender and ethnic studies class? If Mongolia can look up to Khan, then certainly we can look up to Jefferson.

Exactly. By this schools boards logic anything named for anyone from at least the 1930s ought to be renamed.

[The Reformed American Republic]

If Mongolia can look up to Khan, then certainly we can look up to Jefferson.

Not really the argument I'd use, to be honest.

Jefferson's actions were more benign. My point still stands though; other countries can have their heroes, so we can too.

[Nekostan-e Gharbi]

It's just dumb to rename everything because past historical figures aren't politically correct. Are we going to get rid of everything not half-baked by a gender and ethnic studies class? If Mongolia can look up to Khan, then certainly we can look up to Jefferson.

Exactly. By this schools boards logic anything named for anyone from at least the 1930s ought to be renamed.

They will do it anyway so why not find names both sides will accept? Hydrogen High School sounds good and can actually teach students chemistry so it is at least useful.

[San Lumen]

Exactly. By this schools boards logic anything named for anyone from at least the 1930s ought to be renamed.

They will do it anyway so why not find names both sides will accept?

Or the city government could step in and say no we are not doing that. The current names are all fine.