2 School Renamings Focus Of Public Hearing Ahead Of School Board Decision

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Two proposed school renamings will go to the Loudoun County School Board for action later in April after a Wednesday public hearing.

New names are being considered for Francis Hazel Reid Elementary School in Leesburg and Mercer Middle School in Aldie. Frances Hazel Reid refers to a Loudoun Times-Mirror employee and co-founder of a United Daughters of the Confederacy chapter. The Mercer name is tied to a slaveowner affiliated with the American Colonization Society.

In January, a committee of community and school members recommended renaming of Francis Hazel Reid Elementary School. The top name recommended is Loving Elementary School, which refers to the couple in the 1962 Loving v. Virginia case that provided a victory for interracial marriage. Alternate names suggested are keeping the Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School name or Limestone Elementary School.

A similar committee recommended in December to rename Mercer Middle School. The recommended name is Gum Spring Middle School, and alternates are Stone Ridge Middle School and John Mercer Langston Middle School.

Loudoun County Public Schools preliminarily estimated the cost of a renaming would be $214,000 for Mercer Middle School and $71,000 for Francis Hazel Reid Elementary School, according to school board documents.

A December survey found 40 percent of respondents said Mercer Middle School should be renamed, and 50 percent said it should not be renamed. When only looking at residents in the Mercer Middle School attendance zone ZIP codes, 55 percent said it should be renamed, and 42 percent said it shouldn't.

For Francis Hazel Reid Elementary School, a community survey found 37 percent of respondents support a renaming, and 53 percent oppose it. Among Town of Leesburg ZIP code residents, 37 percent support a renaming and 59 percent oppose it.

The final renaming decisions lie with the Loudoun County School Board. Public hearings on the renamings were held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Unless the school board directs otherwise, the school board will make a final decision on April 22.

The school board started a process in June 2020 to review all LCPS facility names and mascots to address systemic racism. The school board started the review of Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School and Mercer Middle School's names in October 2022 but did not take up the renamings before their term ended. The newly-elected school voted decided to move forward in June 2024 with considering renamings of nine schools, including Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School and Mercer Middle School. The school board then appointed renaming committees for the two schools.

At Wednesday's public hearing, comments are limited to Loudoun County residents, businesses in Loudoun County, Loudoun County taxpayers, current and former LCPS students, parents of guardians of LCPS students outside the county, LCPS employees and retirees, and organizations serving LCPS employees and students. For those who did not pre-register to speak, walk-up registration will be accepted at the front of the LCPS administration building up to 30 minutes before the meeting starts.

School board meetings are available live through LCPS-TV on Comcast Channel 18 and 1070 (HD) and Verizon FIOS Channel 43 and live on the LCPS website.

Seven others schools will be considered for renaming at a later time — Belmont Ridge Middle School in Leesburg, Belmont Station Elementary School in Ashburn, Seldens Landing Elementary School in Leesburg, Sully Elementary School in Sterling, Hutchison Farm Elementary School in South Riding, Ball’s Bluff Elementary School in Leesburg and Emerick Elementary School in Purcellville.

Belmont Ridge Middle School's name is affiliated with selling slaves down South and the American Colonization Society. Belmont Station's name is tied to a plantation, selling slaves in the South and the American Colonization Society. Seldens Landing and Sully refer to plantations and enslavement, and Hutchinson Farm refers to a family supporting secession, fighting with the Confederacy and enslavement. Ball's Bluff references a Civil War battle won by Confederates, and Emerick references an LCPS superintendent during the Jim Crow era.

The renaming considerations do not include Aldie's John Champe High School, which references a Loudoun County native and Revolutionary War veteran.