Duval County School Board voting Tuesday night on renaming schools Leah Shields
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The Duval County School Board is voting Tuesday night on changing the names of six schools named after Confederate figures. Their board meeting is at 6 p.m.
The name-change issue has been going on for months. The community votes were reviewed by Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene, who recommended changes to the board. She is set to go in-depth tonight about her recommendations.
See below for a list of Greene s recommendations for changes to schools names, based on the community vote.
For 2019 and 2020, the city funded the two sites that kicked off the program with $3.4 million total. They added $1.5 million for 2021. The $470,000 for the start-up of the third site on the westside is the first money to not come out of the city coffers.
In addition, city staff are currently working on the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which will ask for $2.4 million total for the three sites: $800,000 each.
Cure Violence, a Chicago-based program that has been implemented in cities across the country, is designed to prevent violence . Dozens of trained community members, most of whom have also previously had brushes with the law, are sent out into specific zip codes to intervene when violent crime occurs by talking with family and friends of victims. The goal: stop retaliatory violence and ultimately stop the spread of violence altogether.
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 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
Meanwhile, the schools that voters chose to change the names are:
Joseph Fineagan Middle School to Anchor Academy
Stonewall Jackson Elementary School to Westside Academy
Jefferson Davis Middle School to Westside Middle School
J.E.B. Stuart Middle School to Westside Middle School
Robert E. Lee High School to Riverside High School
For the past several months, local activist groups have urged Duval County Schools to change the names of schools that are named after controversial historic figures, most notably leaders of the Confederacy.
“Our goal was to give our community a voice in this process, Superintendent Diana Greene said. Constituents have participated in dozens of meetings, and now thousands have shared their voice through this balloting process. My job is to synthesize all of this input and bring the recommendation that I feel is best for our schools, our community, and most important, our students.”