Woodson Renaming?

[Anonymous]

virtue signaling

[Anonymous]

I’m starting to think we would be better off with no school board. The current board and the candidates running against them are more like politicians with their own particular interests (and no expertise) that take up everyone’s time and don’t really serve most of us. I would prefer that the superintendent runs things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m starting to think we would be better off with no school board. The current board and the candidates running against them are more like politicians with their own particular interests (and no expertise) that take up everyone’s time and don’t really serve most of us. I would prefer that the superintendent runs things.

Good point.

It is supposed to be "non-partisan" but current members have shown this to be false. Some even loudly tweet their partisanship.

And, there are those on here who claim someone is not independent if they are endorsed by the GOP.

We should get rid of the endorsements. That is what makes it partisan. It should be hands off. Pressure is put on those Dems who do not get the endorsement not to run. That is why Moon dropped out last time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He seems like many other Southerners of his era, yet also like someone who overall did more good than bad for FCPS, including it’s Black students. I wonder whether he came to regret his earlier segregationist views in the last 20 years of his life and see the error of those opinions.

But it matters not, because our current School Board - while woefully inept at managing today’s challenges - sees a lot of benefit in canceling those who aren’t as progressive as they see themselves.

So we’ll soon get Carter G. Woodson HS, and the School Board will congratulate themselves for honoring a gay Black historian, but C.G. Woodson has no real connection to Fairfax County, and his achievements will largely be ignored if he becomes the school’s new namesake.

I guess, why do things that were once named need to keep their name in perpetuity? The superintendent is no longer relevant and it makes sense to change the name. The way they’re talking about it, it would be minimally inconvenient. Sounds good to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m starting to think we would be better off with no school board. The current board and the candidates running against them are more like politicians with their own particular interests (and no expertise) that take up everyone’s time and don’t really serve most of us. I would prefer that the superintendent runs things.

Well, except for the fact that they hand-picked a superintendent who is basically their clone. But, otherwise, yeah, it would probably be better if the SB were disbanded, Reid was fired, and the BOS had to appoint someone like the county executive to oversee FCPS. The BOS isn’t great, but they are rocket scientists compared to the SB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He seems like many other Southerners of his era, yet also like someone who overall did more good than bad for FCPS, including it’s Black students. I wonder whether he came to regret his earlier segregationist views in the last 20 years of his life and see the error of those opinions.

But it matters not, because our current School Board - while woefully inept at managing today’s challenges - sees a lot of benefit in canceling those who aren’t as progressive as they see themselves.

So we’ll soon get Carter G. Woodson HS, and the School Board will congratulate themselves for honoring a gay Black historian, but C.G. Woodson has no real connection to Fairfax County, and his achievements will largely be ignored if he becomes the school’s new namesake.

I guess, why do things that were once named need to keep their name in perpetuity? The superintendent is no longer relevant and it makes sense to change the name. The way they’re talking about it, it would be minimally inconvenient. Sounds good to me.

Where does it end?

WT Woodson was not a slaveholder nor did he rape a teenage slave who then bore his children. Yet we will rename WTW but still have schools named after both James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.

And the time may eventually come when we have to rename Colin Powell ES, too, since history will conclude Powell likely lied deliberately in support of a foreign war that led to the death of many innocent civilians.

The “primary legacy” test that led to renaming Stuart and Lee (because it was their disreputable Confederate pasts that were primarily being honored when two schools were named after them) was a sensible one. Yet that standard does not clearly support renaming Woodson or incurring the related costs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He seems like many other Southerners of his era, yet also like someone who overall did more good than bad for FCPS, including it’s Black students. I wonder whether he came to regret his earlier segregationist views in the last 20 years of his life and see the error of those opinions.

But it matters not, because our current School Board - while woefully inept at managing today’s challenges - sees a lot of benefit in canceling those who aren’t as progressive as they see themselves.

So we’ll soon get Carter G. Woodson HS, and the School Board will congratulate themselves for honoring a gay Black historian, but C.G. Woodson has no real connection to Fairfax County, and his achievements will largely be ignored if he becomes the school’s new namesake.

I guess, why do things that were once named need to keep their name in perpetuity? The superintendent is no longer relevant and it makes sense to change the name. The way they’re talking about it, it would be minimally inconvenient. Sounds good to me.

Where does it end?

WT Woodson was not a slaveholder nor did he rape a teenage slave who then bore his children. Yet we will rename WTW but still have schools named after both James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.

And the time may eventually come when we have to rename Colin Powell ES, too, since history will conclude Powell likely lied deliberately in support of a foreign war that led to the death of many innocent civilians.

The “primary legacy” test that led to renaming Stuart and Lee (because it was their disreputable Confederate pasts that were primarily being honored when two schools were named after them) was a sensible one. Yet that standard does not clearly support renaming Woodson or incurring the related costs.

The school board has plenty of money

[Anonymous]

The school board has plenty of money

Then, they should spend it on teachers and students--not names.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The school board has plenty of money

Then, they should spend it on teachers and students--not names.

+1000.

[Anonymous]

The survey just came out to parents. My favorite question- did you attend the October 4, 2023 meeting?

I had to answer no since it is two weeks away

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He seems like many other Southerners of his era, yet also like someone who overall did more good than bad for FCPS, including it’s Black students. I wonder whether he came to regret his earlier segregationist views in the last 20 years of his life and see the error of those opinions.

But it matters not, because our current School Board - while woefully inept at managing today’s challenges - sees a lot of benefit in canceling those who aren’t as progressive as they see themselves.

So we’ll soon get Carter G. Woodson HS, and the School Board will congratulate themselves for honoring a gay Black historian, but C.G. Woodson has no real connection to Fairfax County, and his achievements will largely be ignored if he becomes the school’s new namesake.

I guess, why do things that were once named need to keep their name in perpetuity? The superintendent is no longer relevant and it makes sense to change the name. The way they’re talking about it, it would be minimally inconvenient. Sounds good to me.

Where does it end?

WT Woodson was not a slaveholder nor did he rape a teenage slave who then bore his children. Yet we will rename WTW but still have schools named after both James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.

And the time may eventually come when we have to rename Colin Powell ES, too, since history will conclude Powell likely lied deliberately in support of a foreign war that led to the death of many innocent civilians.

The “primary legacy” test that led to renaming Stuart and Lee (because it was their disreputable Confederate pasts that were primarily being honored when two schools were named after them) was a sensible one. Yet that standard does not clearly support renaming Woodson or incurring the related costs.

The school board has plenty of money

The school board has plenty of [other people’s] money.

Sad the school board chooses not to spend the taxpayer’s money on educating the taxpayers children.

[Anonymous]

Woodson alum and a Woodson parent. W.T. should be dropped. Had no clue when I went there about his segregationist history.
Not sure about CG yet but he has a lot of schools named after him across the country.
Think some alums will push back. Not sure it is ever referred to it now but back in the day, WTW was a thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Woodson alum and a Woodson parent. W.T. should be dropped. Had no clue when I went there about his segregationist history.
Not sure about CG yet but he has a lot of schools named after him across the country.
Think some alums will push back. Not sure it is ever referred to it now but back in the day, WTW was a thing.

I'm with you. There is no reason to keep his name on the school in the 21st century, after he tried to prevent Black students from entering segregated schools. A small selection of his views are on the FCPS webpages. (shudder) https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/history/records/desegregation/writings

[Anonymous]

Coming here to point out - for the FCCPS haters that we were second behind Arlington to voluntarily integrate and renamed our schools 2 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coming here to point out - for the FCCPS haters that we were second behind Arlington to voluntarily integrate and renamed our schools 2 years ago.

right. larger populations like fairfax county tend to be less nimble and less educated.