Name changes come to Peoria schools
Peoria's Calvin Coolidge Middle School is one of the schools that will be renamed for groundbreaking figures in Peoria history. In this case, the school will be renamed for Harold B. Dawson. Courtesy Peoria Public Schools
Around the country, schools and public institutions that are named for historical figures like Andrew Jackson, Jefferson Davis, and Robert E. Lee have started changing their names in recent years, especially in the wake of the racial justice movement that gained national attention in the summer of 2020.
Last year, the Peoria Board of Education decided to rename a primary school to honor Peoria-born civil rights leader Rev. C.T. Vivian rather than Thomas Jefferson, and earlier this month, the board voted to rename five more schools in the district. The 21st was joined by the board's president to discuss the change.
GUEST:
Gregory Wilson
President, Peoria Public Schools Board of Education
The school board voted unanimously to remove George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh, Benjamin Harrison and Calvin Coolidge from Peoria schools. Here are the new names
— Journal Star (@pjstar) March 15, 2022
https://t.co/KMc38sIv3U
Prepared for web by Owen Henderson
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