PEORIA, Ill. — Peoria Public Schools may be changing the names of their buildings sooner rather than later.
Vice President of the Board of Education Gregory Wilson expressed his interest in examining the names at the end of Monday night’s board meeting.
Many other schools across the country, colleges and K-12, have changed names of mascots and buildings based on negative connotations the name may have.
“I urge my fellow board members to support and assist in changing the names of school buildings that are named after individuals tied to a history of racism,” said Wilson.
The names Wilson asked to be examined were Thomas Jefferson, Lindbergh, Roosevelt, Harrison, Washington Gifted, and Calvin Coolidge.
“Possible names I recommend include the following: Reverend C. T. Vivian, Jane Elliott, Annie Malone, John F. Kennedy, Henry C. Gibson, Dr. Ellen Ochoa, and Bishop Harold B. Dawson, Jr.
President Doug Shaw agreed with Wilson, saying the names should be examined.
“We do need to examine the history of who we’re honoring,” said Shaw. “We need to reevaluate; is this someone we should be honoring?”
When asked if mascot names would be examined as well, Wilson said that the focus is on buildings.
“I’m not looking to change mascots, necessarily, unless they have racist undertones in their logo or mascot,” said Wilson.
Many board members echoed the sentiment that buildings and mascot names in Peoria Public Schools should be examined.
