If naming a Virginia high school after a Confederate general in 1958 - at the same time Virginia was fighting integration tooth-and-nail - wasn't "spiteful against integration," it certainly was indifferent to the feelings of the minority students who eventually would be allowed to attend the school.

It may have been insensitive, but there is documentation that proves that was not the reason. And, the some of the writers of the report that support that myth knew it.

There is, in fact, clear documentary evidence that Superintendent Woodson opposed integration and, when called to integrate the schools, proposed a gradual plan that would not have fully integrated the schools until 1971 and which the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals found not to comply with the Brown v. Board of Education decision.

Yes, he supported gradual plan--but that had nothing to do with naming the schools. Good people could think that it would be best to do it gradually--i.e. starting in the primary grades and letting the kids grow up together in school.

As for "taking the memo" off the agenda, I'm not sure what that means. "JEB Stuart HS renaming" is on the agenda for the July 27th meeting.

The document that justified the renaming of the school--the so-called "compelling reason" was on the work session agenda on the morning of the session. Some time that morning it was removed. If you watch the work session, you will note that there were concerns from board members about that document. Early in the work session, the document was shown on the screen that the members were viewing.

Apparently, it was removed because it was not a good, compelling reason. Board members indicated that during the session.

Suggest that you go watch the work session. If you read the earlier post, you would know the comment was in reference to the work session--not the upcoming meeting.

Anonymous wrote:

What babble. The name change opponents (the "keepers") like to throw out a lot of vague accusations, as if School Board members speaking with constituents is similar to Don Jr. colluding with the Russians.

Personally, I think the School Board members have to vote in favor of changing the name. Otherwise they look like a bunch of wimps who have no backbone and won't stick up for colleagues who are being attacked by a bunch of right-wing crazies.

LOL!
The changers have been demeaning the superintendent from that time--claiming it was spiteful against integration. The FOIA shows that one of them read the minutes and found proof that it was not done out of spite at all. Yet, they kept the story alive. Pretty low.

Vague accusations? That "babble" as you call it is in writing--emails from Albers, Hynes, Evans, and their supporters.

This explains why they took the memo off the agenda. They are worried--and they should be. They violated the transparency on several levels. They kept changing the goal posts on the whole procedure.

If naming a Virginia high school after a Confederate general in 1958 - at the same time Virginia was fighting integration tooth-and-nail - wasn't "spiteful against integration," it certainly was indifferent to the feelings of the minority students who eventually would be allowed to attend the school.

There is, in fact, clear documentary evidence that Superintendent Woodson opposed integration and, when called to integrate the schools, proposed a gradual plan that would not have fully integrated the schools until 1971 and which the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals found not to comply with the Brown v. Board of Education decision.

There is also, in fact, clear documentary evidence that the same School Board that voted to name a school after JEB Stuart had, just a few years earlier changed the name of a "Committee on Desegregation" to the "Segregation Committee" to assuage opponents of integration in FCPS.

And, finally, Stuart himself was no hero, and certainly not a "Union Hero," as the keepers' silly t-shirts proclaim. He was an opportunist, an anti-abolitionist, and a terrorist who conducted raids into Pennsylvania during the war, and he renamed his own child (originally named after his father-in-law, a Virginian who remained loyal to the Union). It's time to return the favor and rename the school.

As for "taking the memo" off the agenda, I'm not sure what that means. "JEB Stuart HS renaming" is on the agenda for the July 27th meeting.

Fairfax Underground is vile.

Totally agree--but, sometimes you find interesting information--and, in this case, the link to the FOIA is quite informative.

We certainly are not getting the information from the newspapers. Why?

Don't forget to erase the aborters .

What babble. The name change opponents (the "keepers") like to throw out a lot of vague accusations, as if School Board members speaking with constituents is similar to Don Jr. colluding with the Russians.

Personally, I think the School Board members have to vote in favor of changing the name. Otherwise they look like a bunch of wimps who have no backbone and won't stick up for colleagues who are being attacked by a bunch of right-wing crazies.

LOL!
The changers have been demeaning the superintendent from that time--claiming it was spiteful against integration. The FOIA shows that one of them read the minutes and found proof that it was not done out of spite at all. Yet, they kept the story alive. Pretty low.

Vague accusations? That "babble" as you call it is in writing--emails from Albers, Hynes, Evans, and their supporters.

This explains why they took the memo off the agenda. They are worried--and they should be. They violated the transparency on several levels. They kept changing the goal posts on the whole procedure.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any insight into how the vote will go on Stuart? I watched the Monday meeting on this, but am clueless as to the decision. It sounded to me like some were worried about how the process unfolded.

Here's a link to the FOIA evidence.
> https://goo.gl/cserZN

Found this on Fairfax Underground. I think it will show what was going on. Apparently, they are worried about some legal ramifications--as they should be. Evans opened a can of worms. Can you spell COLLUSION?

And--please note, they KNOW that the accusation against Woodson was a myth. They did not name the schools out of spite over integration--and they have known that for a very long time.

Fairfax Underground is vile.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any insight into how the vote will go on Stuart? I watched the Monday meeting on this, but am clueless as to the decision. It sounded to me like some were worried about how the process unfolded.

Here's a link to the FOIA evidence.
> https://goo.gl/cserZN

Found this on Fairfax Underground. I think it will show what was going on. Apparently, they are worried about some legal ramifications--as they should be. Evans opened a can of worms. Can you spell COLLUSION?

And--please note, they KNOW that the accusation against Woodson was a myth. They did not name the schools out of spite over integration--and they have known that for a very long time.

What babble. The name change opponents (the "keepers") like to throw out a lot of vague accusations, as if School Board members speaking with constituents is similar to Don Jr. colluding with the Russians.

Personally, I think the School Board members have to vote in favor of changing the name. Otherwise they look like a bunch of wimps who have no backbone and won't stick up for colleagues who are being attacked by a bunch of right-wing crazies.

Anonymous wrote:Any insight into how the vote will go on Stuart? I watched the Monday meeting on this, but am clueless as to the decision. It sounded to me like some were worried about how the process unfolded.

Here's a link to the FOIA evidence.
> https://goo.gl/cserZN

Found this on Fairfax Underground. I think it will show what was going on. Apparently, they are worried about some legal ramifications--as they should be. Evans opened a can of worms. Can you spell COLLUSION?

And--please note, they KNOW that the accusation against Woodson was a myth. They did not name the schools out of spite over integration--and they have known that for a very long time.

Any insight into how the vote will go on Stuart? I watched the Monday meeting on this, but am clueless as to the decision. It sounded to me like some were worried about how the process unfolded.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shocked recently to discover slaves in my ancestry. And slave owners. Ancestors who likely did to my ancestors what TJ did.

I feel confused about this. But I still respect what the founding fathers did in establishing our democracy.

Not worth changing the names of schools. That's a stupid band aid. Take that money and fund scholarships for AAs instead.

People are talking about changing the names of schools named after people who are only known for being pro-slavery or pro-segregation. People who keep bringing up TJ and Washington are being deliberately obtuse and want to be.

Oh come now...what type of person would deliberately be obtuse about such a thing?

Anonymous wrote:Shocked recently to discover slaves in my ancestry. And slave owners. Ancestors who likely did to my ancestors what TJ did.

I feel confused about this. But I still respect what the founding fathers did in establishing our democracy.

Not worth changing the names of schools. That's a stupid band aid. Take that money and fund scholarships for AAs instead.

People are talking about changing the names of schools named after people who are only known for being pro-slavery or pro-segregation. People who keep bringing up TJ and Washington are being deliberately obtuse and want to be.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The two schools were actually named in the late 1950s, not the 1960s, by white men who vocally opposed integration.

Their efforts to avoid, and then drag out, integration were met with rebukes from the federal courts in the mid-1960s. The fact that they ultimately failed in their efforts not to comply with Brown vs. Board of Education is no reason to re-affirm their prior, racist decisions now.

Once more, get the money and then have the vote.

How is spending millions of dollars to change the names of schools going to help kids in school?

That offloads the responsibility for a poor decision by the county to private donors.

The county needs to own up to its history of racism and agree to change the name as a matter of principle. Fine to then solicit private contributions, which likely would be forthcoming.

Changing the names sends a strong message that non-white students are equals, and that those who fought to maintain white supremacy are not role models.

Come on lady. The county has been sending a strong message for decades, by providing a fantastic education for all students. Quit looking for drama.

Over the decades, the county has, at various times, refused to provide a HS education to black students; opened a segregated high school when school districts elsewhere in the nation were integrating; dragged its heels with integration; asked black students to attend schools named after men who fought to perpetuate slavery; pushed black students into vocational courses and suspended them at higher rates than white students; and declined to hire black teachers who possessed equal or superior qualifications to white applicants.

Renaming a school won't address all of these wrongs, but it's a step in the right direction.

Shocked recently to discover slaves in my ancestry. And slave owners. Ancestors who likely did to my ancestors what TJ did.

I feel confused about this. But I still respect what the founding fathers did in establishing our democracy.

Not worth changing the names of schools. That's a stupid band aid. Take that money and fund scholarships for AAs instead.