27 Jan 2021
Schools in San Francisco, California, will be stripped of names honoring famous American leaders deemed unworthy because of a connection to slavery or other unsavory ties, including Presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson.
John Muir, Francis Scott Key, and Catholic Priest Junipero Serra are also on the list.
In all, 44 school will be renamed, even as critics of the decision cite the committee tasked with picking the schools did not receive enough input from historians and a lack knowledge about the current school names.
“In one instance, the committee didn’t know whether Roosevelt Middle School was named after Theodore or Franklin Delano,” the
Washington and Lincoln are out. S.F. school board tosses 44 school names in controversial move
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1of3Abraham Lincoln High School, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, in San Francisco, Calif. The S.F. school board voted on renaming 44 schools on Tuesday evening.Santiago Mejia / The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less
2of3Abraham Lincoln High School, located at 2162 24th Ave., remains closed due to the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, December 8, 2020, in San Francisco, Calif. Lincoln High School is one of the educational institutions subject to a name change under a proposal by a committee in San Francisco.Yalonda M. James/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less
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George Washington High School Eagle marching band head up the stairs to do the musical prelude to Mayor London Breed?•s inauguration at city hall on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, in San Francisco, Calif.Liz Hafalia / The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less
Abraham Lincoln, once a hero, is now a bad guy in some S.F. education circles
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Alex Thompson walks with his daughter to Abraham Lincoln High School to receive a meal for students and siblings last week. Lincoln High School, which remains closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, is subject to a name change under a proposal by a city committee.Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle 2020Show MoreShow Less
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A statue of Abraham Lincoln stands at the entrance of Lincoln High School. The base of the statue reads: “Gift to the Memorial Museum from M.H. de Young.”Yalonda M. James / The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less