Florida board renames schools that had honored Confederate leaders
Following a months-long debate, the Duval County School Board decided on the names Tuesday night.
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âIt is a challenge,â Superintendent Diana Greene, shown in this file photo, told FirstCoast News of the decision to rename schools that had been named after Confederate leaders. âYou think you know what is going to happen. You think you know how you are going to feel, but then when it happens, a flood of emotions came over me.â [ BOB SELF/FLORIDA TIMES-UNION | The Florida Times-Union ]
Updated 1 hour ago
JACKSONVILLE â A Florida school board has voted to rename six schools named for Confederate leaders, but will keep three others named for a French colonizer and a U.S. president who supported slavery and forced Native Americans to move west along the Trail of Tears.
Jacksonville community groups are holding a rally to urge the school board to approve recommended name changes of six schools named after Confederate leaders.
Duval Schools Superintendent Diana Greene thinks six Jacksonville schools should be renamed, her recommendations obtained by the Times-Union said.
The news comes after nearly a year of debates prompting locals to reckon with the city s ties to Confederate leaders and colonizers. After a contentious set of community meetings and balloting, voting results showed that Jaxsons wanted to see schools tied to the Confederacy renamed.
Now, through a formal set of recommendations to the school board, Greene has revealed that she agrees.
The schools Greene recommends renaming are:
Joseph Finegan Elementary to Anchor Academy
Stonewall Jackson Elementary to Hidden Oaks Elementary School
Nearly 11 months after Duval County Public School leaders began considering new names for nine of its schools, Superintendent Diana Greene on Tuesday released her recommendations, marking the next to last step in the district’s name change process.
Duval County Superintendent releases school name change recommendations
Activist groups urged Duval County Schools to change the names of schools that are named after controversial historic figures such as Confederate leaders. Author: First Coast News Staff Published: 12:42 PM EDT May 25, 2021 Updated: 12:57 PM EDT May 25, 2021
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Duval County Public School Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene has released recommendations that the School Board change the names of the six schools currently named for Confederate leaders.
The names were released via email Tuesday in a press release from DCPS.
Joseph Finegan Elementary School would become Anchor Academy
Stonewall Jackson Elementary School would become Hidden Oaks Elementary School