Tensions ease, for now, after Lee High School name goes back on building
Published: Saturday, November 05, 2011, 7:00 AM
Lee High School's name was put back on the facade of the school's new building Thursday, a day after Superintendent Casey Wardynski had it removed. Hundreds of students, alumni and parents protested the school's potential name change. (The Huntsville Times/Dave Dieter)HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The battle over the name of Lee High School is not over, but tensions in the city seemed to ease Friday after Huntsville Superintendent Casey Wardynski had the name replaced on the new school building.
Wardynski Thursday night admittedto making a "gargantuan" mistake by having the name removed before public discussions over a possible name change. He is proposing a change because Lee High and New Century Technology High will merge inside the new $42 million building next fall.
New Century's 310 students, who transfer from all across the city to attend the high-tech program, are housed at Columbia High in west Huntsville.
Wardynski, who had the Lee name removed from the new building on Wednesday, ordered the letters put back late Thursday. But the issue may not be resolved.
He told the audience at a packed school board meeting Thursday night that a committee will be formed this month to help determine how the schools' merger will go. The committee will include parents, school staff, alumni and community members from both schools.
Part of the committee's task will be to decide if a new name is appropriate and to determine how to honor the history and legacy of both schools.
Renaming the school would not be easy. About 250 students walked out of class Thursday morning in protest and about 100 students and parents attended the board meeting that night to beg for Lee to remain Lee.
New Century students are also upset at the idea of losing their school's identity. The school was this year named U.S. News and World Report's sixth most-connected classroom, which is based on a school's technological advances. Newsweek has also ranked it among the top 500 high schools in the country.
Current and former officials also objected to a name change.
Randy Hinshaw, former state representative for District 21, said he sponsored legislation to create a special tax district specifically to rebuild Lee. According to the agreement passed by the City Council, that new tax district allowed the city to spend $10 million "toward the construction of a new Lee High School."
"I like seeing Lee High School on that building," Hinshaw, a 1978 graduate of Lee, told the school board. "That's the commitment that was made.
"What better lesson can we give people than, 'When you give your word, keep it,'" he said.
Hinshaw did commend Wardynski on listening to the community and replacing the name. Madison County Commissioner Roger Jones agreed.
"The mark of a good leader is a person who will listen, who will look for a common ground," Jones said.
Mayor Tommy Battle expressed the same sentiment.
"All government today is different sides coming together to find some common ground," Battle said. "I think this decision found some common ground for all parties involved."
Faculty and parents have also spoken up for Lee. Richard Wilson, a football coach at the school, said he believes it is the most diverse and welcoming high school in the city.
"There's no black, there's no white, there's no yellow, there's no red," Wilson said. "There are just Lee Generals."
Rick Presnell said his daughter, who was homeschooled until the eighth grade, attends Lee because that's the school she chose to go to. He said both he and his daughter were "ecstatic" when they learned that New Century would be moved to the school because of the good reputation of the high-tech programs.
Presnell said his problem with the change was the lack of community input thus far.
"In order for us to be an informed public," Presnell said, "we have to be communicated with."
No comments:
Post a Comment