‘Shining Waters’ school name sends the right message

Dear Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board trustees: Thank you for all your time and efforts in trying to give the students of Peterborough an education to help prepare them for an ever-changing world. As a retired teacher I know you have many topics to study and difficult decisions to make.

I strongly urge you as elected trustees to revisit the naming of the school on the former King George Public School site. I think East City Public School would be a boring name and certainly doesn't celebrate a person, a frequently used precedent in local school naming.

Naming it Shining Waters Public School as recommended by the name committee is an opportunity to leave behind a positive legacy. These words honour Indigenous peoples’ stewardship of this East City land with positive, beautiful images of our abundant local rivers and lakes. The Shining Waters name also is an important step in our reconciliation of the many wrongs we settlers have committed against our original local people.

Students currently are learning in classroom curricula about the heritage, treatment, and many contributions of local Indigenous people. Shining Waters as the name of a school would also remind students and others that people in Peterborough chose to honour our Indigenous community roots.

I trust you will give this school name more thought and use Shining Waters.

I am an Ashburnham resident and King George School graduate (Rodger Hendren days).

Sharon Harrison, Whitaker Street

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