(27 Jan 2021) The San Francisco school board has voted to commit to renaming public schools including George Washington and Abraham Lincoln high schools after officials deemed them and other prominent figures, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein, unworthy of the honor.
After months of controversy, the board voted 6-1 Tuesday in favor of committing to renaming 44 San Francisco school sites with new names that have no connection to slavery, oppression, racism or similar criteria.
Feinstein's name was added to the list because as mayor she replaced a vandalized Confederate flag that was part of a long-standing flag display in front of City Hall.
Critics called the process slapdash, with little to no input from historians and a lack of information on the basis for each recommendation.
In one instance, the committee didn't know whether Roosevelt Middle School was named after Theodore or Franklin Delano.
School board members have insisted that the renaming is timely and important, given the country's reckoning with a racist past.
They have argued the district is capable of pursuing multiple priorities at the same time, responding to critics who say more pressing issues deserve attention.
Some parents argued that current names mean students are wearing school sweatshirts with the names of slave owners, including Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
The school board says new names for the schools will be considered in the Spring and are encouraging public input.
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