GRETNA, La. (AP) - The board of the largest school system in the state decided not to form a committee to analyze whether some school or mascot names should be changed because they’re honoring figures tied to slavery, the Confederacy or segregation.
The New Orleans Advocate / The Times-Picayune reported that the board voted 6-2 on Wednesday against creating the committee. There was also one abstention.
Board member Simeon Dickerson sponsored the measure to form the committee.
“It’s beyond frustrating to know that kids of color go to schools named for people that should have been tried for treason, especially the Confederate leaders,” Dickerson told the newspaper.
Three quarters of the parish’s students are minorities, but two thirds of the parish’s residents are white, according to the newspaper. Seven of the nine members of the school board are white.
Dickerson also brought up this issue in November but it was deferred. He said he’ll keep bringing it up.
One board member who voted against the proposal raised questions about the specifics in the proposal including what would be the size of the committee and who would be included. Billy North told the newspaper that he hadn’t done enough research to weigh in with an opinion on a particular school name. North said he had no problems with individual school communities looking into the issue.
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