Reply to New Name for JEB Stuart HS

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

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]And, I understand that there is a group who has already begun pushing for more name changes.  $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ spent on name changes and not kids.  This could go on for a very long time.

I understand that there may have been a need for a name change.  But, our SB really has no common sense.

And, many of them really do not understand that most "keepers" were not racist.  The SB members who kept blaming it on "massive resistance" as a reason to change the name do not understand, either.  Munson Hill was the site of Stuart's camp.  Was the name insensitive?  Yes.  Was it deliberately sticking a finger in the eye to minorities?  Likely not.  They probably did not even consider the feelings of others.  But, to say that they did it out of spitefulness is reading minds of people they did not know.

Some of the changers seem to think that attacking the people who want to keep the name as racist is helpful.  I understand where they are coming from--but to attack people who had nothing to do with naming the school, but simply want to keep the name out of tradition as racist--is not helpful and just continues the divisiveness.

I have read some tweets from people who were insistent on changing the name.  Some of the things written about McLaughlin and others were offensive.  Calling her a "confederate" is offensive.  Others have called Schultz a "white supremacist'.  They are just sustaining a divisive element in this community.  Some have nothing to do with the school.

To choose a name based on someone's skin color is also racist.  Think about it.  To honor someone who deserves it--is a good thing and if it is a person of color, then, great.

I was a supporter of "Stuart".  It was the first choice of the community more than one time.  It was the first choice of most students.  I really believed it would not be connected with Jeb Stuart, but would enable some traditions to continue.  Most of all, I thought it was the best choice because it would cost the least money.
During the meeting last night, I changed my mind.  I thought that Mendez--after hearing the information about his life and his connection to the community--was an absolutely perfect choice.  Why?  Because his life had so many facets for all kids.  A war hero; a diplomat; someone who was fiercely interested in helping kids read.  But, most of all--he could be any kid in that school.  While well known among some, he was mostly a regular citizen who worked hard and did great things with not much acknowledgement.  To me, it indicated that he could be your next door neighbor or your cousin.  Anyone you know could turn into someone like him.  Someone who could be set as an example for the kids.   
(It also would have been great and appropriate to have been able to keep "Raiders".  "Mendez Raiders" has a good sound and, with the current situation in Korea, it would have been a great opportunity to learn more about that conflict--which is still the longest conflict in our military history.)  It would also have been a good opportunity to have learned more about WWII from a more personal point of view.

I also think Thurgood Marshall would have been a great choice, but I would not have supported it had I been on the SB.  In my opinion, it should have been taken off the table long ago and not among those considered.  Why? Because there is already a Marshall High School and, no matter how the name would have been parsed, it still would have been "Marshall."  I am still stunned that the SB members let it stay as long as they did.

I do wonder if the SB members who voted against Mendez did so because Schultz presented it.  I also wonder if some voted against it because he was a military officer.  Yes, some of our SB members lean that far left.

As far as Evans, I would never vote for her.  Strauss needs to go.  Her comments to the Mendez family were offensive

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This narrative about "far left" people not supporting our military is ridiculous.  "Far left" people support our military just as much as anyone else in our country.  You're here lecturing about not painting keepers with a broad brush and calling them racist, but are perfectly ok with calling "far left" people anti military. What happened to your lecture about not labeling people?[/quote]

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