The Corvallis School Board voted 6 to 1 Thursday to remove three elementary school names from the district.
The board’s vote immediately removed the names of U.S. presidents Hoover, Jefferson, and Wilson because of their connotations with racism and non-inclusivity.
Board chair Sami Al-AbdRabbuh said these individuals’ actions indicate they would not have believed in the full potential of students who were Black, Indigenous, or from other communities of color.
“You can be a Latino, Arabic, Black, or Indigenous child and still have the equal opportunity and full rights for public education,” said Al-AbdRabbuh. “We need to acknowledge history and learn from it. The aspects of slavery holding or racist beliefs don’t align with the community’s values.”
This decision followed a public forum process over the past week where community members shared opinions through phone calls and emails to the school board.
A task force will be appointed by the district’s superintendent to rename the three schools. Other district building names may also be reviewed.
Copyright KLCC, 2020.