To the PWCS School Board:
I’m writing today to give you requested feedback on changing the name of Stonewall Jackson Middle and High School.
At first, I vehemently opposed this initiative by the Board. I felt like the timing of it was politically suspect, and based on The Superintendent’s letter a few weeks ago, it also seemed as if students had complained about this in the past but nothing was done about it until now, which is odd given PWCS’ progressive stance on social issues.
That said, after lots of deep thought on the matter, I realized that buildings, schools, cities, and even countries are renamed, and it is a common occurrence! Istanbul was Constantinople. What we knew as Bombai, India is now known as Mumbai, India. And entire countries, such as the USSR, don’t even exist anymore.
Given these historical facts and the current social climate, it is absolutely clear that we must change the name of the Stonewall Jackson schools.
That said, I still have some major issues with this. Mainly, the current call to rename these schools simply does not go far enough!
I spent some time going through the names of many of the schools in Prince William County, and I found some very alarming things. We don’t just need to change the names of Stonewall Jackson Middle and High Schools, but of many, many more schools as well. Failure to do so will mean that Prince William County Schools is not doing all they can to fight racism, which is contrary to their mission as stated in letters from the Superintendent and the School Board in the last few weeks.
To end racism, we must erase it. Here are the schools whose names, under PWCS’ own new guidelines, are absolutely problematic.
Rippon Middle School — Per the Historical Markers Database (
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=131568) slaves worked Rippon Lodge, the school’s namesake! Actual Black slaves! How can any African-American child possibly feel comfortable at this school? And not to mention that Blackburn, the man who owned these slaves, had granddaughters that married into George Washington’s family. Washington, too, was a slave owner. We must rename this school immediately, otherwise Black children who go there will feel threatened and unsafe.
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology — I cannot tell you how triggering it was to find out that PWCS has a high school named after a slave owner who literally raped his slaves. If peaceful protesters around the country haven’t toppled statues of Jefferson yet, I can tell you it’s going to happen soon. Thomas Jefferson was one of the most evil, hypocritical slave owners who ever lived and naming this particular school after him is an affront to science, technology, morals, and ethics. If I was a Black student at this school, I would live in fear of being raped every day. This is a clear dog whistle for support of slavery and rape. And PWCS supports it! Absolutely sickening!
Reagan Middle School - Ronald Reagan’s CIA introduced crack cocaine to Black neighborhoods in the 1980s while starting the War on Drugs. More Black people were locked up due to the War on Drugs than any other policy in history. His policy of tricky-down economics is a clear example of systemic racism as it made Black people poorer. He refused to help homeless people, among our nation’s most defenseless demographic, due to his belief that most homeless would rather live in the street! Talk about white privilege!
His administration not only downplayed the AIDS epidemic but openly joked about it (
https://www.vox.com/2015/12/1/9828348/ronald-reagan-hiv-aids). Let’s not also forget that Reagan was a white male conservative and a direct inspiration to our current president Drumpf. I can’t imagine being a transgendered mixed race 11-year-old attending this school named after a bastion of hate. The depths of harm that the school board has done these children may never be fully known.
Marsteller schools - According to
http://www.bullrunnow.com/spare_tim...ool in Bristow,those in Prince William County. , Marsteller’s childhood home was used as a hospital to heal Conferederate wounded soldiers during the Civil War. Martsteller’s family AIDED AND ABETTED SLAVE OWNERS. Can you imagine how parents of Black children who attend Marsteller must feel being forced to send their kids to a school named after people who aided the slave owners who fought for slavery? This is an absolute disgrace! Shame on you PWCS!
Freedom High School — It’s clear in 2020 that white people have way more freedom than any other group. The name of this school just flaunts that and is the ultimate example of white supremacy. Since our state and our country don’t value freedom for everyone (I mean, just look at our president and who elected him SMH), it is clear that freedom means hatred of non-whites. Let’s choose the right side of history and rename this school immediately.
Charles J. Colgan High — Senator Colgan is a white male. So far in my research I have not encountered even one school named after a Black person. If Colgan High is not renamed, the PWCS School Board is sending a clear message that you must be white to have a school named after you. This is the textbook definition of systemic racism. I thought that PWCS’ mission was to fight racism. It looks like I thought wrong. Unless this school’s name is changed immediately.
C. D. Hylton High — Cecil Don Hylton was another rich white male. Like our current president Drumpf, Hylton made his wealth in real estate building luxury housing. I could not find a single instance of Hylton building in poor neighborhoods. Because this school is majority non-white (as the rest of the country will be in about 30 years), we must remain progressive and stand up to the rich Hyltons, rename the school, and show them we will not be bullied by our pasts. Can the Hyltons even prove they didn’t use illegal labor? I doubt it.
Featherstone Elementary -- The school’s own about page says the following: “In December 1961, Featherstone opened its doors to grades one through seven. The Mascot was Chief Featherstone and students organized a Student Council, Safety Patrol and a school choir.”
The mascot was Chief Featherstone! Do I even have to explain why this is racist? This school, must too, be renamed so that all students of Native American descent can feel safe there. Not only do we steal their homeland from them, but we then mock their ancestry with so-called ‘mascots.’ This is absolutely disgusting that you have allowed this, PWCS!
Kyle Wilson Elementary: It is beyond clear after visiting
http://www.kylewilsonmemorial.com/about_kyle.html that Kyle Wilson was a white male. I was triggered just viewing his picture. In any case, he was also a firefighter who died in the line of duty. This is just too close to police, and PWCS is currently rethinking its position of police. Police and firefighters are allies, and mainly made up of mostly white people. We cannot support white supremacy. We must change the name of this school.
McAuliffe Elementary — In one of her essays, Christa McAuliffe stated: “As a woman, I have been envious of those men who could participate in the space program and who were encouraged to excel in the areas of math and science. I felt that women had indeed been left outside of one of the most exciting careers available.” (
https://apnews.com/43d4c4592cb9ddc31c5bcea3295fc1d5)
Notice that McAuliffe did not mention female peoples of color or minorities of any kind. McAuliffe said nothing about gay, transgendered, or pansexuals, showing that she did not understand her privilege. Christa McAuliffe likely believed that only females could menstruate. This is completely misogynistic.
These beliefs would put Christa McAuliffe, a supposed hero who died for her country, in complete opposition to the PWCS Nondiscrimination Policy, which says that PWCS does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender identity or sexual orientation. This is very problematic and also needs to be addressed now. Today. It simply does not matter that McAuliffe died in 1986 and was a product of her time. The fact is this is hateful speech viewed through the lens of 2020.
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I hope that this letter helps PWCS understand the true scope of this problem. If PWCS rejects my call to rename these other schools, then it is absolutely clear that this Stonewall Jackson action is a superficial virtue signal motivated by appearing to look good but does nothing at all to address the underlying systemic racism inherent in our educational policy and structure.
Let’s not only be on the right side of history, but also erase and rewrite the history we don’t like. It’s 2020. It’s time to take action. It’s time to come together while remaining at least six feet apart.
The time to fight racism was yesterday. The next best time to fight it is right now.
