NAMES

me — as a reader did last week blasting the idea of renaming the Washington NFL team. He didn’t say if he was Native American, only that he has cheered on the Red—- for decades and he’ll stop the second the name is changed.

My response? They’ll have the same players, the coaches; they’ll play in the same stadium. Reminded me of a bit by Jerry Seinfeld: “You’re actually cheering for the clothes when you get right down to it. You’re standing and cheering and yelling for your clothes to beat the clothes from another city.”

We asked local school districts this week if they were considering name changes. Suffolk Public Schools responded that it was not looking at changing the Nansemond River nickname. Chesapeake has not yet responded about Indian River, while a Virginia Beach spokesperson emailed this week that the division’s Equity Council will take a look at naming issues, but not specifically Kempsville’s name.

Hampton City Schools has created a committee to review the names of all schools in the city after a request to look at John B. Cary Elementary — named after a Confederate officer.

Thinking about it is a start, and thoughtful input — from students, faculty, parents and the community — are needed.

Meanwhile, it’s clear some school names and nicknames will get a makeover.

Pilot and Daily Press reporter Matt Jones wrote this week that there are at least four schools named for Confederates in Hampton Roads’ seven cities — three in Norfolk, including Maury High, and one in Hampton.

There are also schools named for Confederate generals in York and Mathews counties: Magruder Elementary near Williamsburg and Lee-Jackson Elementary, Mathews’ sole elementary school.

Norfolk and Hampton school boards have said they will review names of their schools.

“When our public schools are named after individuals who advanced slavery and systemic racism, and we allow those names to remain on school property, we tacitly endorse their values as our own,” Northam wrote. “This is no longer acceptable.

“Recognizing the harmful impact these school names have on our children, I am calling on school boards to evaluate the history behind your school names. Now is the time to change them to reflect the inclusive, diverse and welcoming school community every child deserves, and that we, as leaders of the Commonwealth, have a civic duty to foster.”

The next question to answer: How much farther should that civic duty reach?

Jami Frankenberry, 757-446-2376, jami.frankenberry@pilotonline.com