Prince William schools superintendent calls for renaming of Stonewall Jackson middle, high schools, banning Confederate flag

The school year is nearly over, and Prince William County Schools (PWCS) Superintendent Dr. Steven L. Walts is calling for some major changes.

In a June 5 email to all PWCS staff, parents, students, Dr. Walts laid out his ‘action plan to combat racism,’ calling on the email recipients to actively pursue diversity and equity for the school division’s more than 91,500 students and to be vigilant in promoting antiracism.

This plan comes in light of both the firing of a Battlefield High School assistant baseball coach due to racist remarks made on social media, and the death of George Floyd, during arrest attempt by former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin.

“Recent events, locally and nationally, have shown that the voices of many in our community are not being heard. As a majority-minority school division, we must not simply celebrate diversity and equity, we must actively pursue it for all of our more than 91,500 students. Furthermore, we must be vigilant in promoting antiracism. In so doing, we must ensure that employees who work in our schools are aligned with these practices. If they are not, they must be removed from our classrooms. Words matter, symbols matter, and actions matter.” stated Walts.

Walts’ action plan is as follows: the immediate renaming of Stonewall Jackson Middle and High School pursuant to the policy of the School Board, proposing an amendment to the school division’s Code of Conduct to ban the wearing/flying of the Confederate Flag on school grounds, and the establishment of a community panel to review the division’s agreement with the Prince William County Police Department and to make recommendations for change if needed.

In addition to the plan, the division will continue to ‘pursue equity across our Division in a multitude of forms, from access, to curriculum, to individual and group behavior’ as well as require staff to complete training in Culturally Responsive Instruction, according to the email.

“We must all understand our own mindsets and recognize the viewpoints of others, in order to provide effective learning across a diverse student body, and promote a culture of respect and understanding for all,” stated Walts.

Walts is far from the first to propose the renaming of Stonewall Jackson Middle and High School, or believe it to be ‘an insult and an affront to our students, especially in schools where the majority of the students are students of color,’ as was stated in his email.

Back in 2017, former school board Chairman Ryan Sawyers proposed and fundraised for the renaming of the schools.

“When we name a school after someone we honor and celebrate that person. These schools were named in a time when Brown v. Board of Education, integration, and the Civil Rights Act were being implemented across our country. Under the false rhetoric of ‘heritage,’ these schools were, in fact, named after a Confederate icon as a “thumb in the eye” to Federal actions ending their continued racial segregation of public schools,” stated Sawyers.

While the schools were never successfully renamed, George M. Hampton Middle School, named for Mills E. Godwin, the founder of the Virginia Community College System. It was renamed in 2016 due to Godwin’s segregationist history as governor of Virginia.

School board Chairman Babur Lateef is in support of renaming both county schools bearing the name Stonewall Jackson.

“I think the school board members have had dissuasions over the course of years about this renaming the schools, and I think this may be the right time to do this. We are going to look at his issue and seriously consider it,” said Lateef.

Occoquan District Representative to the School Board, Lillie G. Jessie, on the other hand, claimed on Twitter that the plans were made without any input.

“I was made aware of a plan to change the name of Stonewall Jackson High School or Middle School. The plans were made without my input and without community input,” tweeted Jessie.

Walts’ current action plan is only the beginning, according to his email. It is unknown what other changes are to come.

“I recognize this is only beginning, and we have much more work to do. As educators, we must continue to find the means to lend our voices for those who cannot be heard. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that,” stated Walts.

Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was a Confederate general and is regarded by historians as one of the most gifted military commanders in U.S. history. Jackson fought at the 1st and 2nd battles of Manassas during the Civil War and later died at age 39 after a battle in Chancellorsville outside Fredericksburg.