There are more questions than answers right now about why the name of 46-year-old Godwin Middle School was changed overnight.
The Prince William County School Board on March 2 voted unanimously to change the name of Dale City’s first middle school from Mills E. Godwin — named after a two-term state governor who raised taxes for a new statewide community college system — to Dr. George Hampton, a man with an impressive resume of public service to his nation in the Army, and to his community.
The move was heralded as a comprise by School Board members and leaders of Prince William County Government. Before Godwin was renamed, the names of the 87-year-old Hampton, and Kyle Wilson, a 24-year-old firefighter who died in the line of duty in Woodbridge in 2007, were being considered for a new elementary school at the corner of Minnieville and Spriggs roads in Woodbridge.
Wilson won the name of the elementary school, and Hampton will see his name replace Godwin’s.
Godwin Middle School Principal Jehovanni Mitchell denied a request to visit the school and speak with educators, staff, and students about what the name change will mean for the school community. Mitchell issued this statement”
“We’re keeping our students focused on learning, and don’t want questions about the school name to distract from that. The decision surprised a lot of people, so naturally we’re getting a lot of questions and comments. We simply don’t have the answers yet.
I expect there will be opportunities for people to ask questions and get more involved with the next steps. We’ll share that information as soon possible.
For now, I just want to make sure that our students maintain their school pride and that we continue to have great community support. I’ll do whatever I can to make that happen.”
Prince William County School Board Chairman Ryan Sawyers said the decision to rename the school was an idea that was born in an 11th-hour compromise during School Board meeting recess after two failed tied votes to name the elementary school after Wilson and Hampton, respectively.
Potomac District School Board member Justin Wilk proposed the idea. He called Godwin a “segregationist governor,” and noted the school’s student population to majority minority.
Godwin, from Suffolk, Va. was the first person to be elected to two terms as a Virginia Governor. During his term as Lt. Governor, Godwin was a Democrat who upheld “massive resistance” by denying black students entrance to public schools, which had been federally mandated.
By the time Godwin was elected Governor in 1966, he had changed his views and had backed Democrat President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1964 campaign for office. While in the Governor’s office, Godwin raised taxes to support a new statewide community college system that, today, includes Northern Virginia Community College.
Godwin was elected governor for a second term in 1974 this time as a Republican. He became the frist U.S. governor to be elected as both a Democrat and a Republican.
The 85-year-old Godwin died in 1999 suffering from pneumonia.
