Confederate Name Change on School Board Agenda Thursday

FALLS CHURCH, VA -- The Fairfax County School Board will decide Thursday whether to create a group that would explore renaming J.E.B. Stuart High School in Fairfax County's Seven Corners area.

The high school is named for James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart (February 6, 1833 – May 12, 1864) was a United States Army officer from the U.S. state of Virginia, who later became a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War.

A petition was started to change the name of the school in the wake of the fatal shootings in Charleston.

The issue is on the agenda at the Board's next meeting on Thursday. Board members will vote on a motion to create a J.E.B. Stuart High School Renaming Working Group.

• Also read: Oscar-Winning Alumni Push for Change of Confederate Name of High School

Those who support renaming the school say there are community concerns about the school's name and hope to give the school a name that is more reflective of the community it serves.

If passed, the committee would consist of students, parents, community members, alumni and business and community leaders. The group would be chosen by the Superintendent, in consultation with the Board.

The Superintendent and FCPS staff will facilitate the group’s work. The working group will:

• weigh the pros and cons of a name change
• continue public engagement
• explore public-private partnerships to finance any name change

The group will also look at ways to prevent added burdens on the school’s booster clubs, PTSA and Stuart school administration; the best method for transitioning from an old name to a new one; proper record retention; and the best timing for such a change, if such a change is approved by the Board.

The working group will also provide ideas for ways to honor and preserve the school’s history, traditions and past achievements and to memorialize its decades as J.E.B. Stuart High School. If approved, the working group will report on its findings and recommendations to the School Board by March 2017.

PHOTO courtesy of petitioners/change.org