AUSTIN, Texas (Texas Insider Report) — While President Biden told Americans Tuesday that they had “never fully lived up to the Founding Principles of this Nation,” the San Francisco School Board voted 6-1 to rename 44 public schools and remove the names of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and a other historical American figures in a controversial debate that’s being followed across the nation. (see full listing of names below.)
“Lincoln, like the presidents before him and most after, did not show through policy or rhetoric that Black lives ever mattered to them outside of human capital and as casualties of wealth building,” said 1st-grade teacher Jeremiah Jeffries, chairman of the renaming committee.In what critics of the renaming efforts call mindless, knee-jerk reaction to historical figures, those opposing the the effort said it makes the most iconic of American heroes into caricatures, rather than living, breathing Founding Fathers – many of whom gave or lost their lives shortly in defense of the nation after having signed the Declaration of Independence.
Others on the list include:
- Francis Scott Key, who wrote the words to the National Anthem
- Former Presidents
- James Garfield
- Herbert Hoover
- William McKinley, and
- James Monroe
- Revolutionary War Hero Paul Revere
- Author Robert Louis Stevenson
- One of the nation's first Environmental & Naturalists, John Muir, and even
- California's sitting U.S. Senator, Dianne Feinstein.
The San Fransisco School Board, meanwhile, stripped Founding Fathers Washington, Jefferson, Revolutionary War hero Revere and others from its schools, noting that Presidents Washington & Jefferson were slave owners (as were many others of the day,) and Lincoln, – who ended slavery and passed the Emanicpation Proclamation freeing the slaves – who was removed for critics controversial claims that he "oppressed indigenous Native Americans."Try to imagine the United States without George Washington. Or Thomas Jefferson. Or Abraham Lincoln.
- Would there even be a “United States” without George Washington?
- What would the Declaration of Independence have said if not written by the Nation's 3rd President, Thomas Jefferson?
- Suppose Abraham Lincoln was never elected President & persevered through the Civil War.
As long as a naming governmental entity chooses to name schools, Federal Buildings in Capitols across the country, or government buildings such as Courthouses or Post Offices for human beings, critics in today's liberal "cancel culture" movement will find flaws in the namesakes character.
But San Francisco Mayor London Breed rebuked the plan in October as “offensive,” saying the School Board should be focused on reopening schools closed during the pandemic, rather than renaming them.
“It’s offensive to parents who are juggling their children’s daily at-home learning schedules with doing their own jobs and maintaining their sanity.
“It’s offensive to me as someone who went to our public schools, who loves our public schools – who knows how those years in the classroom are what lifted me out of poverty and into college – it’s offensive to our kids who are staring at screens day after day instead of learning and growing with their classmates and friends,” Breed said.
“It’s offensive to me as someone who went to our public schools, who loves our public schools – who knows how those years in the classroom are what lifted me out of poverty and into college – it’s offensive to our kids who are staring at screens day after day instead of learning and growing with their classmates and friends,” Breed said.
Removing and renaming of the schools is projected to cost in excess of $400,000. School Distirct officials said, however, that the price tag could increase to more that $1 million as schools would be required to purchase new activity uniforms, repaint gymnasium floors, while making numerous other adjustments.
The school district's budget deficit is projected to reach at least $75 million next school year.Californai critics noted that with the San Francisco School District already facing a severe budget crisi, the expensive virtue-signaling exercise is also an intiative the district cannot afford.
Back in Washington, D.C., with Vice President Kamala Harris looking on – the country’s first African and Asian woman to hold the position – President Joe Biden signed his growing list of Executive Order directives, saying:
"We have never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation, to state the obvious, that all people are created equal and have a right to be treated equally throughout their lives.
"It’s time to act now, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because if we do, we’ll all be better off for it.
"It’s time to act now, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because if we do, we’ll all be better off for it.
Biden did not explain why he believes Americans are not “treated equally” under the law, or who is mistreating them.
The Civil Right Act of 1964 has been in effect for nearly six decades – slightly longer than Biden’s own political career.
The idea that America has "never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation" was a repeated theme throughout Biden’s campaign. Last October, he told an interviewer that “America was an idea,” past tense:
"America was an idea, an idea. 'We hold these truths to be self-evident.'
"We’ve never lived up to it, but we’ve never walked away from it before, and I just think we have to be more honest.
"Let our kids know, as we raise them, what actually did happen. Acknowledge our mistakes, so we don’t repeat them," the president said.
"We’ve never lived up to it, but we’ve never walked away from it before, and I just think we have to be more honest.
"Let our kids know, as we raise them, what actually did happen. Acknowledge our mistakes, so we don’t repeat them," the president said.
Feinstein Elementary, which takes its name from California's senior Senator (at left with now-Vice President and former California Sen. Kamala Harris,) will be forced to change it's name due to allegations Feinstein replaced a damaged Confederate flag outside of City Hall when she was mayor in 1984. The flag was part of an 18-banner historical display outside City Hall, and been there for 14 years before she took office.The San Francisco native refused to replace the flag after it was taken down a second time by protesters, and announced that the Confederate flag would never fly there again. That was not enough to satisfy her critics – or save her from Tuesday's list. Ironically, Feinstein is regarded as a champion for LGBTQ equality, having served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors with early gay rights activist Harvey Milk, and being among the group of elected officials nationwide to first call for gay marriage.
Members of the public are being encouraged to suggest replacement names for impacted schools, using a form on the SFUSD website.
The San Francisco School Board will review suggested new names until April 19, after which they will make final recommendations for replacement.
SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL BOARD's 44 NAMES of 'DISHONOROABLE LEGACIES' NAMESAKES:
- ABRAHAM LINCOLN: U.S. president targeted for his treatment of indigneous people, Abraham Lincoln High School.
- GEORGE WASHINGTON: The first U.S. president and a slave owner, George Washington High School.
- VASCO NUNEZ DE BALBOA: A Spanish explorer targeted by the board over colonization and abuses of indigenous people, Balboa High School.
- MISSION DOLORES: The 7th mission founded by Spanish settlers in their quest to colonize and evangelize the native peoples of California, Mission High School.
- JAMES R. LOWELL: While initially involved in the movement to abolish slavery, the poet's support wavered over the years, Lowell High School.
- JAMES DENMAN: Founder of first S.F. school and first superintendent, a racist leader who denied Chinese students a public education, James Denman Middle School.
- EDWARD EVERETT: An American statesman who a speech in 1826 in which he appeared to endorse slavery, despite his arguments that he rejected the slave trade and the act of kidnapping someone into slavery, Everett Middle School.
- HERBERT HOOVER: U.S. president: African-American leaders condemned various aspects of the Hoover administration, including his unwillingness to push for a federal anti-lynching law, Herbert Hoover Middle School.
- JAMES LICK: A land baron who funded the controversial 'Early Days' statue depicting Native Americans in a demeaning manner, James Lick Middle School.
- PRESIDIO: S.F. military post estalished in 1776 as Spain's northern-most outpost of colonial power, Presidio Middle School.
PRESIDIO: San Francisco Military Post formerly established by the Spanish, Presidio EES- THEODORE OR
- FRANKLIN DELANO ROSSEVELT: Both U.S. Presidents. Teddy Roosevelt held Racist attitudes toward Cubans, Puerto Ricans and Filipinos during the Spanish-American War; F.D received heavy criticism for his internment of Japanese Americans during the Second World War, Roosevelt Middle School.
- HENRY WARE LAWTON: An officer in the U.S. Civil War, Lawton K-8
- CLAIRE LILIENTHAL: A S.F. school board member, two school sites
- PAUL REVERE: A Patriot in the American Revolution, Paul Revere K-8
- ALAMO: A poplar tree or the site of Texas Revolution battle, Alamo Elementary
- PEDRO DE ALVARADO: A conquistador, Alvarado Elementary,
- EDWIN BRYANT: The author penned editorials supporting the anti-Catholic nativism movement and a series of racist attacks on Vice President Richard Mentor Johnson for his black common law wife and two mixed race daughters, Bryan Elementary
- EDWARD HYDE: The English politician and Earl of Clarendon, Clarendon Elementary Second Community and Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program
- EL DORADO: Mythical City of Gold, El Dorado Elementary
- DIANNE FEINSTEIN: The US Senator replaced a Condererate Flag at City Hall while the Mayor of San Francisco in 1984, Dianne Feinstein Elementary
- JAMES GARFIELD: US President, Garfield Elementary
- WILLIAM HENRY GRATTAN : An Irish author regarded as controversial due to the inaccuracy of some of his work, Grattan Elementary
- THOMAS JEFFERSON: U.S. president and a slave owner, Jefferson Elementary
- FRANCIS SCOTT KEY: Composer of 'Star Spangled Banner', Francis Scott Key Elementary
- FRANK MCCOPPIN: San Francisco Mayor, Frank McCoppin Elementary
- WILLIAM MCKINLEY: US President, McKinley's expansionist policies are now widely viewed as racist toward indigenous people, McKinley Elementary
- JAMES WILSON MARSHALL: Sawmill worker at Sutter's Mill, who reported the finding of gold at Coloma on the American River in California on January 24, 1848, sparking the California Gold Rush, Marshall Elementary
- JAMES MONROE: US President and slave owner, Monroe Elementary
- JOHN MUIR: The naturalist made comments that invoked racist stereotypes made toward black people, John Muir Elementary
- JOSE ORTEGA: A Spanish colonizer, Jose Ortega Elementary
- JOSE BERNARDO SANCHEZ: A Spanish missionary, Sanchez Elementary
- JUNIPERO SERRA: Elementary, Spanish priest to be renamed due to colonization and abuses of indigenous people Serra Elementary
- GEN. PHILIP SHERIDAN: A Union General in the American Civil War, Sheridan Elementary
- GEN. WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN: Did not believe in equality between white and black people despiet being a genera in the Northern Army during the Civil War, Sherman Elementary
- JOHN SLOAT: Navy officer and a colonizer who 'claimed/stole' California from Mexico, Commodore Sloat Elementary
- ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON: Author, Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary
- ADOLPH SUTRO: S.F. mayor accused of discriminating against black people in the 19th century who wanted to visit the baths named after him, Sutro Elementary
- DON ANTONIO DE ULLOA: Spanish General and the the first Spanish governor of Louisiana, Ulloa Elementary
- DANIEL WEBSTER: U.S. Statesman who urged northerners to respect slavery in the South and to assist in the return of fugitive slaves to their owners, Daniel Webster Elementary
- NORIEGA: Unclear, Noriega Early Education School
- ROBERT F. STOCKTON: Navy Commodore who captured California during the Mexican–American War, Stockton EES
