New Name for JEB Stuart HS - 9/16 Community Vote

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There are two TJs in the area, two George Masons (admittedly these are in different districts and are not the same level of school). Having a Marshall and a Justice Marshall is lower on the confusing scale than those, imo.

Tell that to the Marshall High community. You gave the reason yourself--different districts and different levels---BIG difference.
You are equating an elementary school and a middle school in other districts with naming two high schools in the same district?

You must be one of those who decided long ago that this would be the name. Why are you so insistent on it? It just defies common sense. Please explain why.

1. There is already a Marshall High.
2. Justice Thurgood Marshall/Thurgood/Justice did not get the most votes.

I really would like to understand why this is so important to you. It makes no sense.

DP here, but very few students at Stuart want Marshall. Most believe "Justice Marshall" would be compared unfavorably with George C. Marshall even more than is already the case now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When was the last time a high school was named after a person in FCPS? Robinson? Marshall?

All the high schools that have been named since I have lived here have been named for the area: Westfield, South County, etc.

The recent namings of elementary schools have included minorities: Coates, Powell.

Seems to me that generic Stuart is logical--but, if not chosen, then geography is the way to go.

Asking seriously and without snark: Why does "generic Stuart" seem logical to some posters and I think some SB members too? I'd be interested to know if there is any real argument for it, other than the cost savings of not altering signs or maybe stationery?

The issue with plain Stuart is that it's such a glaringly obvious fig leaf of an option; taking away the JEB won't make the Stuart magically mean some other "Stuart." It's not the name of the area around the school; it's not a name of some other positive historical figure who is a Stuart worthy of having a Virginia school named for him or her (and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, doesn't exactly resonate as a Virginia educational figure....).

Calling the school "Stuart" seems like it would only create an inevitable replay of this whole renaming debate sometime in the future, because everyone will know the Stuart referenced is the Confederate officer. I was actually surprised to see it was being considered as a real option because it basically is leaving the name the same. JEB or no JEB, the school would still be named for "that" Stuart and everyone would know it. It's a disingenuous option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When was the last time a high school was named after a person in FCPS? Robinson? Marshall?

All the high schools that have been named since I have lived here have been named for the area: Westfield, South County, etc.

The recent namings of elementary schools have included minorities: Coates, Powell.

Seems to me that generic Stuart is logical--but, if not chosen, then geography is the way to go.

Asking seriously and without snark: Why does "generic Stuart" seem logical to some posters and I think some SB members too? I'd be interested to know if there is any real argument for it, other than the cost savings of not altering signs or maybe stationery?

The issue with plain Stuart is that it's such a glaringly obvious fig leaf of an option; taking away the JEB won't make the Stuart magically mean some other "Stuart." It's not the name of the area around the school; it's not a name of some other positive historical figure who is a Stuart worthy of having a Virginia school named for him or her (and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, doesn't exactly resonate as a Virginia educational figure....).

Calling the school "Stuart" seems like it would only create an inevitable replay of this whole renaming debate sometime in the future, because everyone will know the Stuart referenced is the Confederate officer. I was actually surprised to see it was being considered as a real option because it basically is leaving the name the same. JEB or no JEB, the school would still be named for "that" Stuart and everyone would know it. It's a disingenuous option.

Langley
McLean
Herndon

These are names--but the schools are named generically. What is wrong with that? The kids and alums know the school as Stuart. Keep it that way. Other than that, the policy for the last high schools named in FCPS has been geographic. So, if they pick another name, geography is the way to go.

However, it would be a LOT cheaper to go with Stuart. Simple, cheaper, and less confusing.

[Anonymous]

DP. I don't understand why anyone thinks that plain Stuart is a good idea. They're going to change the name. They're going to change it to something that is different, not to the same name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There are two TJs in the area, two George Masons (admittedly these are in different districts and are not the same level of school). Having a Marshall and a Justice Marshall is lower on the confusing scale than those, imo.

Tell that to the Marshall High community. You gave the reason yourself--different districts and different levels---BIG difference.
You are equating an elementary school and a middle school in other districts with naming two high schools in the same district?

You must be one of those who decided long ago that this would be the name. Why are you so insistent on it? It just defies common sense. Please explain why.

1. There is already a Marshall High.
2. Justice Thurgood Marshall/Thurgood/Justice did not get the most votes.

I really would like to understand why this is so important to you. It makes no sense.

DP here, but very few students at Stuart want Marshall. Most believe "Justice Marshall" would be compared unfavorably with George C. Marshall even more than is already the case now.

You've surveyed Stuart students? They are worried about being negatively compared to Marshall? Maybe they should focus on working harder instead of saying keep the name Stuart so we don't look as bad when compared to another school. Maybe the name change will be the incentive they need to get their acts together to make the school more on par with other FCPS schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When was the last time a high school was named after a person in FCPS? Robinson? Marshall?

All the high schools that have been named since I have lived here have been named for the area: Westfield, South County, etc.

The recent namings of elementary schools have included minorities: Coates, Powell.

Seems to me that generic Stuart is logical--but, if not chosen, then geography is the way to go.

Asking seriously and without snark: Why does "generic Stuart" seem logical to some posters and I think some SB members too? I'd be interested to know if there is any real argument for it, other than the cost savings of not altering signs or maybe stationery?

The issue with plain Stuart is that it's such a glaringly obvious fig leaf of an option; taking away the JEB won't make the Stuart magically mean some other "Stuart." It's not the name of the area around the school; it's not a name of some other positive historical figure who is a Stuart worthy of having a Virginia school named for him or her (and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, doesn't exactly resonate as a Virginia educational figure....).

Calling the school "Stuart" seems like it would only create an inevitable replay of this whole renaming debate sometime in the future, because everyone will know the Stuart referenced is the Confederate officer. I was actually surprised to see it was being considered as a real option because it basically is leaving the name the same. JEB or no JEB, the school would still be named for "that" Stuart and everyone would know it. It's a disingenuous option.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Those are two different arguments. One is that it's confusing and one is that it's divisive PC payback. I understand the first, explain why picking an accomplished member of our community is divisive PC payback. It's not just a random black dude who accomplished nothing and has no nexus to our community. He is extremely accomplished with a strong nexus, why is it PC payback to suggest his name?

Why the insistence on naming it after Marshall when there is another Marshall?

Have you followed this? Have you listened to the comments from the speakers at SB meetings? Why, when the community voted another name first?

This is to "redeem" the offense of having named the school after Stuart many years ago.

Stuart, the existing name got a third of the votes and two thirds of the votes were against keeping it. If two thirds of the community is against keeping the name, the name should be changed. The SB should have done a runoff until there was a over fifty percent majority. They chose not to, and instead decided to consider the top five options. I don't care if it's named Peace Valley HS. If they are going to pick a person, please put forth another member or former member of this community equally or more accomplished than Marshall and forward it to the school board. The poster said the three recommendations (Marshall, Johns and Mendez) were PC payback names. Since Marshall and Mendez are not acceptable community members names, throw some more deserving ones out. The SB doesn't vote until Thursday.

[Anonymous]

How about Rodney King High School?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about Rodney King High School?

Yes, he is as accomplished or more so than Marshall or Mendez. And he definitely has a stronger connection to the community than Marshall or Mendez. Great suggestion! Just points out exactly what the problem is with Marshall and Mendez, and it has nothing to do with their accomplishments or connection to the community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When was the last time a high school was named after a person in FCPS? Robinson? Marshall?

All the high schools that have been named since I have lived here have been named for the area: Westfield, South County, etc.

The recent namings of elementary schools have included minorities: Coates, Powell.

Seems to me that generic Stuart is logical--but, if not chosen, then geography is the way to go.

Asking seriously and without snark: Why does "generic Stuart" seem logical to some posters and I think some SB members too? I'd be interested to know if there is any real argument for it, other than the cost savings of not altering signs or maybe stationery?

The issue with plain Stuart is that it's such a glaringly obvious fig leaf of an option; taking away the JEB won't make the Stuart magically mean some other "Stuart." It's not the name of the area around the school; it's not a name of some other positive historical figure who is a Stuart worthy of having a Virginia school named for him or her (and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, doesn't exactly resonate as a Virginia educational figure....).

Calling the school "Stuart" seems like it would only create an inevitable replay of this whole renaming debate sometime in the future, because everyone will know the Stuart referenced is the Confederate officer. I was actually surprised to see it was being considered as a real option because it basically is leaving the name the same. JEB or no JEB, the school would still be named for "that" Stuart and everyone would know it. It's a disingenuous option.

Langley
McLean
Herndon

These are names--but the schools are named generically. What is wrong with that? The kids and alums know the school as Stuart. Keep it that way. Other than that, the policy for the last high schools named in FCPS has been geographic. So, if they pick another name, geography is the way to go.

However, it would be a LOT cheaper to go with Stuart. Simple, cheaper, and less confusing.

None of those names are generic. Langley was the ancestral Lee family estate in Shropshire. McLean and Herndon HS are named after locations that in turn were named after white men.

[Anonymous]

None of those names are generic. Langley was the ancestral Lee family estate in Shropshire. McLean and Herndon HS are named after locations that in turn were named after white men.

They are "generic" in that no one connects them with the people who had the names to start with. The schools have names of people=---but are named after people. You can't make that connection? Do you really think they named Langley High after the "ancestral Lee estate in Shropshire" ? Please. Yes, Herndon is a town-I agree with that. But, the school does not honor a man and neither does McLean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about Rodney King High School?

Yes, he is as accomplished or more so than Marshall or Mendez. And he definitely has a stronger connection to the community than Marshall or Mendez. Great suggestion! Just points out exactly what the problem is with Marshall and Mendez, and it has nothing to do with their accomplishments or connection to the community.

What about Freddie gray high

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

None of those names are generic. Langley was the ancestral Lee family estate in Shropshire. McLean and Herndon HS are named after locations that in turn were named after white men.

They are "generic" in that no one connects them with the people who had the names to start with. The schools have names of people=---but are named after people. You can't make that connection? Do you really think they named Langley High after the "ancestral Lee estate in Shropshire" ? Please. Yes, Herndon is a town-I agree with that. But, the school does not honor a man and neither does McLean.

The descendants of John Roll McLean and William Lewis Herndon might disagree with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

None of those names are generic. Langley was the ancestral Lee family estate in Shropshire. McLean and Herndon HS are named after locations that in turn were named after white men.

They are "generic" in that no one connects them with the people who had the names to start with. The schools have names of people=---but are named after people. You can't make that connection? Do you really think they named Langley High after the "ancestral Lee estate in Shropshire" ? Please. Yes, Herndon is a town-I agree with that. But, the school does not honor a man and neither does McLean.

The schools were not named after those people. Yes, the towns were--but the schools do not honor them.

The descendants of John Roll McLean and William Lewis Herndon might disagree with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When was the last time a high school was named after a person in FCPS? Robinson? Marshall?

All the high schools that have been named since I have lived here have been named for the area: Westfield, South County, etc.

The recent namings of elementary schools have included minorities: Coates, Powell.

Seems to me that generic Stuart is logical--but, if not chosen, then geography is the way to go.

Asking seriously and without snark: Why does "generic Stuart" seem logical to some posters and I think some SB members too? I'd be interested to know if there is any real argument for it, other than the cost savings of not altering signs or maybe stationery?

The issue with plain Stuart is that it's such a glaringly obvious fig leaf of an option; taking away the JEB won't make the Stuart magically mean some other "Stuart." It's not the name of the area around the school; it's not a name of some other positive historical figure who is a Stuart worthy of having a Virginia school named for him or her (and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, doesn't exactly resonate as a Virginia educational figure....).

Calling the school "Stuart" seems like it would only create an inevitable replay of this whole renaming debate sometime in the future, because everyone will know the Stuart referenced is the Confederate officer. I was actually surprised to see it was being considered as a real option because it basically is leaving the name the same. JEB or no JEB, the school would still be named for "that" Stuart and everyone would know it. It's a disingenuous option.

Langley
McLean
Herndon

These are names--but the schools are named generically. What is wrong with that? The kids and alums know the school as Stuart. Keep it that way. Other than that, the policy for the last high schools named in FCPS has been geographic. So, if they pick another name, geography is the way to go.

However, it would be a LOT cheaper to go with Stuart. Simple, cheaper, and less confusing.

Yes, those towns are all named after people but as a PP notes, no one connects the high schools with the people for whom the towns are named. They connect the schools with the towns where they are located, not with the historical people. There is no "Stuartville" in which Stuart HS is located.

Calling Stuart simply "Stuart HS" is not going to do anything at all to diminish its association with the person for whom it was named. Are you saying that somehow Stuart becomes generic if you strip off the initials? It's a false comparison to say that Langley, Herndon and McLean are "generic" and Stuart would be equally "generic." The other three schools are quite specifically, not generically, named, for the towns. Stuart would remain specific too, referring to the same person for whom the school was first named.

Of course it's simple, cheaper and less confusing to keep the name. But don't pretend that calling the school just plain Stuart will end the debate over the name change. Or that because "kids and alums" know the school as Stuart, that's a reason to keep the name (minus the offending initials).