The Fight to Rename a School: Pushing Further
*Based on My Words at the February 13, 2018 Denton (TX) Independent School District School Board Meeting
Immigrants are of the lowest of classes.
Blacks should be banned from public facilities.
I’m simply not interested in racial equality.
I hope that you are as disgusted by these words as I am.
These are the words or paraphrases of the words of Woodrow Wilson.
Two of my children attend Woodrow Wilson Elementary.
As young as they are, even they ask the question, “Why do we have to go to a school named after a racist?”
While know that you recently voted to spend over $150,000 to change the names of schools named after confederate luminaries, I want to remind you that there is no price too high to pay for justice. Indeed, our lives are not defined by our desire for justice…rather, our lives are defined by how far we are willing to go in order to achieve justice.
In the words of a sweet prophet of old, we are implored to “love our neighbors as ourselves.” How can we love our neighbors and force little black and brown children to attend a school named after someone who believed that they should not be able to use the same water fountains as their white classmates? We can’t.
On this day, I implore you to stand up and right the wrongs of the past. Just because that’s the way it has always been…doesn’t mean that that’s the way it always has to be. Justice is worth the cost.
Now, is the time to act.
Justice.
Justice.
and.
Justice.
Amen.
Since any recording of the meeting is not available, this account is based on what I wrote down before and what I have remembered after. Memory is a funny thing…it keeps the powerful pieces and goes grey on the less powerful. In time, I will update this post to include a transcript.
With all of these things affirmed, I want to assure you that there is no circumstance that will keep me from fighting to change the name of Woodrow Wilson Elementary School. Justice demands it.
Amen.
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