Of course, I am only working on the information provided in the video. Members. Photos. Probably a healthy coping attitude. Obviously the name change doesn’t change the history or even necessarily change any perspectives–but it gets the name of a terrorist off of a public school in 2012 America. On November 3, 2008 the Duval County School Board voted 5-2 against changing the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School in Jacksonville. Not sure that I mentioned the professor, teary-eyed or not, at all. Among black students, however, 57 percent wanted to change the name.”. Why do you find this troubling, Kevin? student reffered to as = E.W. Now citizens of that community are demanding that the name be changed. But, just for the record, the school board decided to keep the name of the school, the students merely participated in an opinion survey. . Copyright (c) 2005-2020 by Kevin M. Levin. I certainly agree that the students’ historical perspectives, informed or uninformed or some combination of both, are not necessarily those of any prior generation or community, and that’s a good thing. This seems to be about a lot more than the name of an old KKK leader on some high school. Given the current state of public education, I think that’s pretty much a given. The short documentary tells the story of the steps that one local community college professor took to change the name of the school. 409 likes. A previous attempt to change the Florida school's name was struck down by the school board in 2007. In 1841 Forrest went into busines… Their thoughts take us beyond the standard narrative surrounding the divisiveness of Civil War symbols. The two votes for changing the name were cast by the Board’s only black members. Since neither one of us has spoken to the students, or had the chance to test their knowledge, we’re both reasoning from our own prejudices. What next? Yesterday I posted a video on the Civil War Memory Facebook page about the recent controversy in Jacksonville, Florida concerning Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. I rather like picturing the face of ol’ Nathan if he knew a school named after him was majority African-American. This website is a complementary addition to your existing alumni resources. The case was dismissed by the judge and no further proceedings on this matter have arisen. Nathan Bedford Forrest High School: Jackson, FL. Of 1,029 students surveyed, 53 percent said they wanted to keep the name. I am simply focusing our attention on the fact that perceptions of the past evolve and that our standard narratives of how these debates play out fail to shed light. As in other decisions about how to collectively remember the past, these decisions ought to be left to local communities. It is an occupational hazard for all lawyers. Via Matt Zeitlin, here’s an odd postcard from 2008 regarding the practice of naming things after Confederate General, Fort Pillow Massacre perpetrator, and KKK founder Nathan Bedford Forrest:. About the author: Westside High School is a public high school in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Much of the debate has centered around Forrest … I don’t know, but your question seems to imply that their parents’ grasp of history is somehow superior and I reject that assumption. The Nathan Bedford Forrest High School in Jacksonville, Florida, founded 54 years ago, will change its name from that of the Ku Klux Clan's first grand wizard from the start of the next school year in August. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nathan-Bedford-Forrest Discussions. It’s a bizarre fiberglass monstrosity that many of us here in Music City would like to see taken down purely for aesthetic purposes…, http://tinycatpants.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/have-we-been-wrong-about-the-nathan-bedford-forrest-statue/. Classreport.org provides free Class Reunion Websites for every graduating class of every high school, with free access for all class members. Roughly 800 students did not vote in the survey. Discussions and Reviews. This high school in Jacksonville, Florida is named after confederate general, Nathan Bedford Forrest. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Su Nathan Bedford Forrest, Confederate cavalry commander in the American Civil War who was often described as a ‘born military genius.’ He is also one of the most controversial figures from the Civil War era, having led a massacre of African American troops and having served as the first grand wizard of … fight song = Ed White, FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT. Looking for more Civil War content? Overview. I can answer my own question. In my view, intervention on the federal level will accomplish little more than bring about what is a superficial change. As recently as 2007, the local school board continued to defy all pressure to change it. Nathan Bedford Forrest was born to a poor family in Bedford County, Tennessee. Nathan Bedford Forrest High School, Jacksonville, Florida. It is a product of Classreport, Inc. and may not be affiliated with Nathan Bedford Forrest High School or its alumni association. .) The name of the school was originally planned to be Valhalla until the Brown v Board decision, according to the documentary, when the board decided to show defiance of equality for blacks by naming a school in an area with an African American presence after a slave trader. The kids have moved on. http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/110908/met_353875219.shtml There is a new fight to change the name of Nathan Beford Forrest High School being organized by Professor Stoll in the hopes of accomplishing what had surprisingly failed in 2008. In 2008, the Duval County School Board voted 5–2 against a push to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School in Jacksonville. It seems that Jacksonville has finally decided to give in and change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. In 2013, the board voted 7–0 to begin the process to rename the school. Of course, I don’t know the details surrounding how this project was introduced and evolved within the class. “The documentary provides more evidence that we are moving beyond the old battle lines of north v. south and white v. black regarding our attitudes toward the symbolism of the Civil War. Photos. I can’t see how a parent with a choice could send his or her child to a school with that name. The Duval County School Board is considering what to do about the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. Does your High School Class have a full-featured Alumni Website? Like the debate over the Confederate flag in Lexington, this is a matter for the local community to sort out. Nathan Bedford Forrest, 25, of Orem, Utah (formerly of Olathe, Kansas) lost his life in an airplane accident during flight testing Tuesday, July 25, 2006. The creation of this Facebook page is for the students and/or alumni who have attended Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. Via Matt Zeitlin, here’s an odd postcard from 2008 regarding the practice of naming things after Confederate General, Fort Pillow Massacre perpetrator, and KKK founder Nathan Bedford Forrest:. After his father's death, Forrest became head of the family at age 17. The teary-eyed professor reference was not meant for you – just an additional observation. He fought for something he believes in, got community support, and lost on a racially split vote in the school board. Namesake. Forrest opened in 1959 in the Wesconnett neighborhood of Jacksonville, at the site of present-day J. E. B. Stuart Middle School. That a strong majority of non-African American students “voted” to keep the Forrest name over the objections of a majority of African American students does not redeem the decision by the mostly-white school board. What I do have trouble with is taking that interest and introducing into the classroom in the form of a student project. This was i believe from a Savannah Ga competition back in 1983. Discussions. Eh, I don’t think this is just or even primarily local, though. Yesterday I posted a video on the Civil War Memory Facebook page about the recent controversy in Jacksonville, Florida concerning Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. Pre-Point: I know I should just let this particular thread go, but what can I say–Newt’s dog whistles, Tucson, and the widespread resurgence of American racism has me pretty pissed off about all such questions at the moment. A petition started on Change.org by Omotayo Richmond challenged the Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Nikolai Vitti to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School in … My observation is that the kids represent a distinct group from the adults in the community unless you can provide additional evidence. Nathan Bedford Forrest … Members. Nathan Bedford Forrest High School Class of 1985- REUNION, Jacksonville, Florida. That’s my take, at least, and I’ll stop commenting now! (It should be noted that there is another Nathan Bedford Forrest High School in the United States, this one in Chapel Hill, Tenn., where Forrest was born. Stuart and Jefferson Davis Middle schools split vote in the catchment area for the students says, this a... 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