School To Keep Former Klan Leader's Name

Fla. School Board Votes To Retain Name Of Confederate General, KKK Leader

(AP)  A Florida school board voted late Monday night to keep the name of a Confederate general and early Ku Klux Klan leader at a majority black high school, despite opposition from a black board member who said the school's namesake was a "terrorist and racist."

After hearing about three hours of public comments, Duval County School Board members voted 5-2 to the retain the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. The board's two black members cast the only votes to change the name.

"(Forrest) was a terrorist and a racist," argued board member Brenda Priestly Jackson, who is black.

Betty Burney, the board chairman and the board's other black member, also voted against retaining the name.

"It is time to turn the page and get beyond where we are," she said.

Board member Tommy Hazouri voted to keep the name and said it is difficult to know "who the real Forrest is."

The board listened to passionate arguments from those on both sides. More than 140 people crowded into the meeting room, with another 20 watching the meeting on a television in the lobby.

Many urged a name change, saying the Forrest name was an insult.

"Nathan Bedford Forrest was part of the Ku Klux Klan, no matter how you put it. Nathan Bedford Forrest needs to be changed," said Stanley Scott, who is black.

But several spoke favorably of the general, saying the perceptions that Forrest was an evil man who ordered the massacre of Union troops were incorrect.

June Cooper, who graduated from Forrest in 1970, said some people wanted to wipe out Southern history.

"He was a good man," said Cooper, who is White. "He was a military genius."

Despite her opposition, the board's chairwoman noted that the intensely debated issue could distract from students' education and had even prompted one person to receive death threats for wanting the name changed.

"The naming of a school should not take precedence over someone's life," she said.

Some had suggested naming the school after the street it sits on, or honoring a graduate whose plane was shot down in 1991 over Iraq on the first night of Operation Desert Storm.

Forrest High School, which has received two consecutive "F" grades on state assessment tests, opened as an all-white school in the 1950s. Its name was suggested by the Daughters of the Confederacy, who saw it as a protest to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that eventually integrated the nation's public schools.

But now more than half Forrest High's students are black.

The issue has come up several times during the past half-century, but the School Board has never changed the name. Jacksonville has three other schools named after Confederate generals, but it also has schools named after civil rights icons.

Born poor in Chapel Hill, Tenn., in 1821, Forrest amassed a fortune as a plantation owner and slave trader, importing Africans long after the practice had been made illegal. At 40, he enlisted as a private in the Confederate army at the outset of the Civil War, rising to a cavalry general in a year.

Some accounts accused Forrest of ordering black prisoners to be massacred after a victory at Tennessee's Fort Pillow in 1864, though historians question the validity of the claims.

In 1867, the newly formed Klan elected Forrest its honorary Grand Wizard or national leader, but he publicly denied being involved. In 1869, he ordered the Klan to disband because of the members' increasing violence. Two years later, a congressional investigation concluded his involvement had been limited to his attempt to disband it.

After his death in 1877, memorials to him sprung up throughout the South, particularly in Tennessee. A mounted statue of Forrest and the graves of the general and his wife are in a Memphis park bearing his name.

[mumu11]

They can keep the name if they wish, but they should ponder the fact that their school is mostly failing abysmally. Maybe, just maybe, it''s in part because well educated parents (black or white) don''t want their kids in a school condoning the actions of the KKK in any manner. Maybe, just maybe also, because the only black kids remaining are those whose parents have no better educational opportunity to offer their kids, but given an opportunity would also flee to a better school with less conceited holdouts at the helm.

[willofla]

I''ve been watching Blacks accellerate up through our society since the 70''s. Of the many Blacks that were responsible like most Whites and others, there is most of them that expect much from the Democrats who needed a people to call "victims" from living in America under our present form of governing. The Democrats never tried to tell those Blacks that didn''t want to be responsible for themselves, that all of them could take care of themselves and didn''t need the government. But, the Democrats couldn''t make it on what they stand for because they represent big government, high taxes, and few freedoms for yourself. And now the Blacks have got a man in the Presidents office who is not the President for all Americans, but is the President for all Blacks. Blacks have now reach parity with Whites. Now, let''s see what they will do with their power. Let''s see what this Black will do for his people. I have not seen any Black in a leadership position that has lived up to what they said their people deserved. Look at New Orleans mayor Ray Nagen. He is the worse Black in a position to help more Blacks than anyone else in that city, and he let Blacks die during Hurrican Katrina. So much for Black pride. It doesn''t matter how many schools Blacks have named for whoever they think represents them as a people. It''s because more and more continues to be given them in order for Blacks to have more that which they did not earn.

[willofla]

I''m from the deep South. Let me straighten out all you race baiters, our Generals are heros and are part of this nations history whether you like it or not. Once you liberals start rewriting history because of this man''s other associations, then why did you vote for Obama? Whether KKK or the Communist Party membership, which one is worse? Don''t be a hipocrit and say let''s exclude this General because he had KKK background, when you ignore Obama''s association with people like Bill Ayers and the Communist Frank Marshall Davis, and Saul Alinsky? If American history is going to be taught, then teach all of it as accurately as you can. Don''t teach White hate like Rev. Wright does because a Confederate General was with the KKK. You either accept this nations good points along with the bad. That''s what makes up any countries history. Don''t rewrite our history with your emotions, or what offends only a small group. Write our history with objectivity if you want it to be accurate. I''m proud of the South''s history and will fight to protect it, and this nation.

It''s only a name. That is the problem these days, people take everything so deep from name calling and the name of a school. Why don''t all the black people change their names when they are Jefferson, Washington and so on? Both of thos guys were slave owners. So pathetic that time is wasted on such childish things.

[gop_will_win]

Liberals are sad now because they were hoping to name it the Stalin school after their communist hero.

[swingset4u]

I find it funny that the school is a BLACK school. Wheres the irony????

[zwaggsy]

ibsteve2u

What they have no internet during break?
Non of the teachers thought to make an internet discussion of this problem as a project?

If nothing else at least reading blogs would give the kids some insight into how adults (who should be setting an example) view this dispute.
Just a pity not many had anything helpful to say I still think that the idea on my first post was the best!

[rrozsa-2009]

In 1971, our small southern town''s predominantly white middle school was combined with a nearby town''s black school, and we were bused over to the neighboring town to their school. The school''s name was changed to reflect both towns'' names, and I don''t know of anyone who was scarred for life by the change. Neverthess, I think these people should concentrate on the school''s low rating and stop worrying so much about the name.

[luvcomments]

And, of course, these people who are in favor of retaining a school''s name after a KKK leader actually see themselves as Christians - born again or otherwise. And actually see themselves as patriotic Americans. Instead of traitors to humankind - in some corners of this country still recognized as the beloved children of God.

[random_radar]

We wouldn''t have these issues if we closed all the government schools, gave people back the tax money we force them to pay, and let them educate their children as they see fit.

The problem with our society is we feel entitled to force our will on each other. We feel it is our right to take money and property from our neighbors for our own benefit. We believe we can compel other people to do as we wish.

We live in a tyranny with a perverted idea that you are free to do as the majority pleases. That is not liberty--that is democratic despotism. America is not a free country in the sense that the Greeks or the Founding Fathers would recognize. It is an Orwellian nation.

[donandlacy]

We like to hear what Mr Obama''s recommendation on this matter would be (prior to and after today). While we voted for McCain, I suspect he''d say " Leave the name of the school as is." Blacks, particulary if he becomes our President, need to join a cplorblind Nation.

[thedvirgil]

What I don''t understand is how the parents of these kids aren''t outraged. When I was in school and we integrated and the school system changed the identity of the "Black" school and not the "White" school, our parents pulled us out of school and refused to allow us to attend until changes were made. Guess what... IT WORKED. It''s called THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. If the the parents and students don''t care enough to I guarantee when the school starts losing money everyday because there are not students are present, their votes will change.

[worldpeace29]

His name on a black school is ridiculous. He might have been a good man, but it definitely wasn''t to black people. A predominately black school is the LAST place where he should be honored. That''s like putting a killer''s name on the victims mailbox. And no.. I''m not surprised that the only 2 people who opposed it happened to be black and the remaining voters could not identify with the emotion behind what his name symbolizes.

[gunnertwo1]

Perhaps General Forrest''s name should be removed and put on a school that is not failing. The school could then be renamed after Jessie Jackson or Al Sharpton. I am sure they would be proud.
I wonder why the school is failing so badly. I am sure it''s not due to the attentive students and involved parents. Must be someone else s'' fault.

[missingamerica]

Just out of curiosity are any off the kids/teachers/board members who are so fired up by this debate participating in this discussion?

If they feel so strongly about it you''d think that they would want to put their point across at a national level.

Posted by zwaggsy at 01:53 PM : Nov 04, 2008

Interesting question to pose...during school hours.

[zwaggsy]

Just out of curiosity are any off the kids/teachers/board members who are so fired up by this debate participating in this discussion? If they feel so strongly about it you''d think that they would want to put their point across at a national level.

[chesig]

I believe his name should be removed. I am white and I don''t believe a racist and terrorist should be honored, I don''t care if he is a military officer.

[zwaggsy]

Nice to see a lot of rascism here from both sides off the fence! Got a better idea, why not name it after a famous Indian? After all both blacks & whites are sitting on their land!

[megamanx1-2009]

Perfect. Why don''t they name another school after David Duke....."He was a good man"?? jesus christ, what planet is she on? There is no such thing as a "good man" in the KKK.........

[cbscrash072]

I bet Mr. Forest would want his name removed from a high school that allows blacks as well. Isn''t karma a ***!