Renaming F.W. Ballou High School to Marion Barry, Jr., Senior High School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last time I check we are still a majority African-American populated city, so if the one -drop rule is in effect. Then by alll case and purposes are drop into the city spectrum makes this city a melting pot that is black.

Not true, African-Americans now are below 50% of DC's population, but they make up the largest racial group. That said, I don't understand your point at all.

[Anonymous]

HE'S BAAACCK!

DC memorialization committee just proposed multiple ways to commemorate the ex-mayor-for-life, including renaming Ballou for Marion Barry. Is this life becoming farce or farce becoming life in DC? Just like the Jon Lovitz film, we'll be getting our own Marion Barry High School! And a statue! Will it be of Barry in that iconic hunched-over pose smoking a crack pipe, as filmed by the FBI? Will they put it in front of the Vista Hotel or the DC central jail? Good Hope Road will become Marion Barry Blvd. If you own property on that street, congratulations, your property value probably just fell 25%. It's a shame that our tax money is being spent on this nonsense.

[Anonymous]

How about a new recreation center or renaming employment agency on Minnesota ave. after him.

Renaming a school is just dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about a new recreation center or renaming employment agency on Minnesota ave. after him.

Renaming a school is just dumb.

why's that? he did achieve a masters in chemistry from Fisk and began a PHD program before drop out to pursue civil rights work. For all of his well documented failings Barry did not lack for education

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about a new recreation center or renaming employment agency on Minnesota ave. after him.

Renaming a school is just dumb.

why's that? he did achieve a masters in chemistry from Fisk and began a PHD program before drop out to pursue civil rights work. For all of his well documented failings Barry did not lack for education

Yes, Barry was the original "Breaking Bad" mayor.

For all of DCPS' challenges today, the DC public schools were a shambles when Barry was on the school board and later in the mayor's office. He turned them into patronage engines, while instruction suffered, textbooks were never ordered and bathrooms even lacked toilet paper. I can think of nothing more inappropriate than naming a school or educational institution after Barry.

[Anonymous]

Actually the DCPS was not a shambles when he was on the School Board, but the decline started around that time, concurrent with the Feds stepping back and giving home rule the roost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about a new recreation center or renaming employment agency on Minnesota ave. after him.

Renaming a school is just dumb.

why's that? he did achieve a masters in chemistry from Fisk and began a PHD program before drop out to pursue civil rights work. For all of his well documented failings Barry did not lack for education

Yes, Barry was the original "Breaking Bad" mayor.

For all of DCPS' challenges today, the DC public schools were a shambles when Barry was on the school board and later in the mayor's office. He turned them into patronage engines, while instruction suffered, textbooks were never ordered and bathrooms even lacked toilet paper. I can think of nothing more inappropriate than naming a school or educational institution after Barry.

A correctional institute, perhaps....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about a new recreation center or renaming employment agency on Minnesota ave. after him.

Renaming a school is just dumb.

why's that? he did achieve a masters in chemistry from Fisk and began a PHD program before drop out to pursue civil rights work. For all of his well documented failings Barry did not lack for education

Yes, Barry was the original "Breaking Bad" mayor.

For all of DCPS' challenges today, the DC public schools were a shambles when Barry was on the school board and later in the mayor's office. He turned them into patronage engines, while instruction suffered, textbooks were never ordered and bathrooms even lacked toilet paper. I can think of nothing more inappropriate than naming a school or educational institution after Barry.

everything he touched was a patronage machine so what's the point in singling out schools? I'm all for a big dumb useless bronze statue in front of the Wilson Building if it satisfies the perfunctory memorialization.

[Anonymous]

1) The new building is truly stunning.
2) I'm generally against renaming schools, but it might actually make sense in this case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about a new recreation center or renaming employment agency on Minnesota ave. after him.

Renaming a school is just dumb.

why's that? he did achieve a masters in chemistry from Fisk and began a PHD program before drop out to pursue civil rights work. For all of his well documented failings Barry did not lack for education

Yes, Barry was the original "Breaking Bad" mayor.

For all of DCPS' challenges today, the DC public schools were a shambles when Barry was on the school board and later in the mayor's office. He turned them into patronage engines, while instruction suffered, textbooks were never ordered and bathrooms even lacked toilet paper. I can think of nothing more inappropriate than naming a school or educational institution after Barry.

everything he touched was a patronage machine so what's the point in singling out schools? I'm all for a big dumb useless bronze statue in front of the Wilson Building if it satisfies the perfunctory memorialization.

If it includes his crack pipe. Seriously, when you see students at Wm & Mary wanting to take down Thomas Jefferson's statue, why would present-day DC spend taxpayers' money to commemorate a crooked, racist buffoon?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1) The new building is truly stunning.
2) I'm generally against renaming schools, but it might actually make sense in this case.

Those kids have enough challenges without turning their high school's name into a joke. Imagine having "Marion Barry High" on your diploma (though the words do go together, just not as DC might intend).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) The new building is truly stunning.
2) I'm generally against renaming schools, but it might actually make sense in this case.

Those kids have enough challenges without turning their high school's name into a joke. Imagine having "Marion Barry High" on your diploma (though the words do go together, just not as DC might intend).

or on your resume....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) The new building is truly stunning.
2) I'm generally against renaming schools, but it might actually make sense in this case.

Those kids have enough challenges without turning their high school's name into a joke. Imagine having "Marion Barry High" on your diploma (though the words do go together, just not as DC might intend).

or on your resume....

Okay, I concede the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) The new building is truly stunning.
2) I'm generally against renaming schools, but it might actually make sense in this case.

Those kids have enough challenges without turning their high school's name into a joke. Imagine having "Marion Barry High" on your diploma (though the words do go together, just not as DC might intend).

or on your resume....

Okay, I concede the point.

Didn't even think about that! So true! haha

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about a new recreation center or renaming employment agency on Minnesota ave. after him.

Renaming a school is just dumb.

why's that? he did achieve a masters in chemistry from Fisk and began a PHD program before drop out to pursue civil rights work. For all of his well documented failings Barry did not lack for education

Yes, Barry was the original "Breaking Bad" mayor.

For all of DCPS' challenges today, the DC public schools were a shambles when Barry was on the school board and later in the mayor's office. He turned them into patronage engines, while instruction suffered, textbooks were never ordered and bathrooms even lacked toilet paper. I can think of nothing more inappropriate than naming a school or educational institution after Barry.

everything he touched was a patronage machine so what's the point in singling out schools? I'm all for a big dumb useless bronze statue in front of the Wilson Building if it satisfies the perfunctory memorialization.

If it includes his crack pipe. Seriously, when you see students at Wm & Mary wanting to take down Thomas Jefferson's statue, why would present-day DC spend taxpayers' money to commemorate a crooked, racist buffoon?