New name for Brown down to three

Panel pares list to replace tribute to Ga. secessionist.

Three suggestionsmade a short- list to rename Joseph Emerson Brown Middle School.

A committee appointed by the Atlanta school board chairman narrowed down a list of dozens of proposed new names on Wednesday to just three.

Theyare: WestEndRenaissance Academy of Excellence, West End Leadership & Innovation Academy and Herman J. Russell Leadership Academy of STEM & Innovation.

The two location- based names reference the school’s prominent place in Atlanta’s West End. Russell was a real estate entrepreneur and noted Atlanta philanthropist who died in 2014.

The school’s name currently pays tribute to the secessionist Georgia governor who opposed slavery’s abolition. The committee announced last month that they believed the school shouldbe renamedandthen turned to the work of coming upwith a recommendation for a replacement.

Wendy Wilson, a parent who serves on the committee, said she favoredthe locationbased names.

“Looking at the list of

names, what really stood out and were actually recommended bymykids were names thatwere reflflective of the community, whichwere associatedwith West End or southwestAtlanta,” she told fellowcommitteemembers.

ThenamehonoringRussell received themost support in a survey of the school’s faculty and staffffffffffff, said principal Tiauna Crooms. Employees also placed the two West End names among their top fifive picks.

Those West End names also made the top fifififififive list in a survey of students. But the students’ No. 1 choice was

Chadwick Boseman Leadership Academy. Boseman, the actor touted for hiswork in “Black Panther,” died earlier this year.

Atlanta Public Schools’ policy requires someone to have been deceased for five years before a building is named after them.

That restriction can only be waived by a unanimous board vote.

The naming committee willmeet on Nov. 18 to hear public input and potentially decide on a name to recommend to the school board, which must approve any change.

AJC 2015 Brown Middle School, whichwas named after former Georgia Gov. Joseph E. Brown, who opposed the abolition of slavery, will get a newname soon.