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

[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.

Yeah but those are named for their town. Stuart is not a town.

[Anonymous]

Which of the motions now proposed (one by Evans, two by Schultz) has the most votes?

[Anonymous]

They seem driven to avoid the geographic names -- like Peace Valley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which of the motions now proposed (one by Evans, two by Schultz) has the most votes?

My guess: Justice will win. Why? Because they will band together. Hynes was in cahoots with Evans from the start--she's just laying low, but will vote with the others. McElveen will, as well. They will not want to offend Keys-Gamarra who is determined to name it after Justice Marshall.

I suspect they all just wish it would go away. Kaufax and McLaughlin would likely support Stuart, but may be afraid to do so. Wilson will not vote for Justice. Corbett-Sanders will likely go with her Dem friends so that there will not be an even split.

So much for common sense:
Students voted at the beginning of the process for no name change.
Stuart is the cheapest.
Stuart received the most votes.

But, Evans decided years ago that she wanted to change the name.

[Anonymous]

It's kind of ironic that there was an agenda for Justice Thurgood Marshall from the get go.... and in the end, the promoters had to concede that there can't be 2 "Marshall HS"s in FCPS. So, they are going with just "Justice" --- which doesn't serve their original plan.

I thought the name should be changed b/c of the confederate connection. But the promoters didn't have enough sense to recognize that Marshall was already taken. So, that limited the momentum for other --better-- name options. Now they are just hovering over the ashes of what they originally wanted. And the school community is losing out on getting a good name that they can be happy with for a long time. "Justice HS" almost seems like a court-ordered facility (like a detention center or alternative HS). It doesn't fit with the rest of the FCPS school names.

Garbage in = garbage out.

[Anonymous]

Why can't they call it Justice Marshall? Lake Braddock is a two word name, as are South County, South Lakes, West Potomac, West Springfield, and even Peace Valley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why can't they call it Justice Marshall? Lake Braddock is a two word name, as are South County, South Lakes, West Potomac, West Springfield, and even Peace Valley.

Because there is already a Marshall High. Think about it. Great confusion. "Which Marshall High do you attend?" And, that is the least problem with the confusion.

What do we call W.T.Woodson High?
James Madison High?
Thomas Edison High?
J.W.Robinson Secondary?

Leave it at Stuart. And, think about the ramifications. If they change it, what is next? Lee? and all the other schools in the county with Confederate connections. Is this really the best use of our funds. One of our SB members is already on record as wanting to change the names of two other high schools. This could have unintended consequences that far exceed the value of changing the name.

Calling it Stuart is a name change. It no longer will honor Jeb Stuart and that should satisfy all but the ones who were determined to name it for someone else. It could also be done with far less expense and less confusion. Plus, it is what the community supports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's kind of ironic that there was an agenda for Justice Thurgood Marshall from the get go.... and in the end, the promoters had to concede that there can't be 2 "Marshall HS"s in FCPS. So, they are going with just "Justice" --- which doesn't serve their original plan.

I thought the name should be changed b/c of the confederate connection. But the promoters didn't have enough sense to recognize that Marshall was already taken. So, that limited the momentum for other --better-- name options. Now they are just hovering over the ashes of what they originally wanted. And the school community is losing out on getting a good name that they can be happy with for a long time. "Justice HS" almost seems like a court-ordered facility (like a detention center or alternative HS). It doesn't fit with the rest of the FCPS school names.

Garbage in = garbage out.

There is a Liberty MS in Clifton. But Justice HS does sound like an alternative high school, and some schools with that name in other states are adjuncts to youth detention facilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't they call it Justice Marshall? Lake Braddock is a two word name, as are South County, South Lakes, West Potomac, West Springfield, and even Peace Valley.

Because there is already a Marshall High. Think about it. Great confusion. "Which Marshall High do you attend?" And, that is the least problem with the confusion.

What do we call W.T.Woodson High?
James Madison High?
Thomas Edison High?
J.W.Robinson Secondary?

Leave it at Stuart. And, think about the ramifications. If they change it, what is next? Lee? and all the other schools in the county with Confederate connections. Is this really the best use of our funds. One of our SB members is already on record as wanting to change the names of two other high schools. This could have unintended consequences that far exceed the value of changing the name.

Calling it Stuart is a name change. It no longer will honor Jeb Stuart and that should satisfy all but the ones who were determined to name it for someone else. It could also be done with far less expense and less confusion. Plus, it is what the community supports.

Most of the votes in the last community survey were for something other than "Stuart." At this point, the name will only stay Stuart if they can't decide on something else.

[Anonymous]

Most of the votes in the last community survey were for something other than "Stuart." At this point, the name will only stay Stuart if they can't decide on something else.

That's not how counting votes works. And, you just destroyed your own argument: most of the votes were for something other than "Justice".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't they call it Justice Marshall? Lake Braddock is a two word name, as are South County, South Lakes, West Potomac, West Springfield, and even Peace Valley.

Because there is already a Marshall High. Think about it. Great confusion. "Which Marshall High do you attend?" And, that is the least problem with the confusion.

What do we call W.T.Woodson High?
James Madison High?
Thomas Edison High?
J.W.Robinson Secondary?

Leave it at Stuart. And, think about the ramifications. If they change it, what is next? Lee? and all the other schools in the county with Confederate connections. Is this really the best use of our funds. One of our SB members is already on record as wanting to change the names of two other high schools. This could have unintended consequences that far exceed the value of changing the name.

Calling it Stuart is a name change. It no longer will honor Jeb Stuart and that should satisfy all but the ones who were determined to name it for someone else. It could also be done with far less expense and less confusion. Plus, it is what the community supports.

I see. They can't call it Justice Marshall because you don't like it. Thanks for the explanation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Most of the votes in the last community survey were for something other than "Stuart." At this point, the name will only stay Stuart if they can't decide on something else.

That's not how counting votes works. And, you just destroyed your own argument: most of the votes were for something other than "Justice".

This was never held out as an exercise where the top vote recipient (the status quo) out of 73 names was the presumptive new name. Sorry.

And, insofar as "Justice" is now supposed to pick up Marshall, Johns, and Mendez, there were certainly more votes for those three combined than for Stuart. Sorry again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Most of the votes in the last community survey were for something other than "Stuart." At this point, the name will only stay Stuart if they can't decide on something else.

That's not how counting votes works. And, you just destroyed your own argument: most of the votes were for something other than "Justice".

This was never held out as an exercise where the top vote recipient (the status quo) out of 73 names was the presumptive new name. Sorry.

And, insofar as "Justice" is now supposed to pick up Marshall, Johns, and Mendez, there were certainly more votes for those three combined than for Stuart. Sorry again.

Well, I just googled "Justice" High. If you want the school to share the name with a Juvie high, then you really don't get it. I'd be upset with that name if I were a student.

[Anonymous]

And, insofar as "Justice" is now supposed to pick up Marshall, Johns, and Mendez, there were certainly more votes for those three combined than for Stuart. Sorry again.

Somehow, I don't think that those voting for Mendez or Johns were voting for "Justice".
Nice try, though.

That's like saying those who chose "Robinson" were choosing "Hero" High. Or, those voting for "Washington" would be voting for "President" High. Not the same.

[Anonymous]

Just looked at the SB motions for renaming. Schultz has her name on three motions--there is no name on the motion for "Justice". Who is the sponsor of "Justice"? Is it Evans? Does she ever think about unintended consequences or do research?

From the beginning, she thought Thurgood Marshall was a good name--even though there is already a Marshall. (If they name it that, it will really tick off George C. Marshall community.) When I first heard it, that was the first thought I had. There is already a Marshall.

Did she ever think of a different way to present this whole process? Did she not realize the divisiveness that this would bring?

And, now, "Justice". Did no one even google "Justice High"? Did no one think of the connotation?