East Detroit High Among Schools In District To Undergo Name Change

EASTPOINTE (WWJ) - Nearly 25 years after residents voted to changed the name of their town from East Detroit to Eastpointe, their school district is following lead.

East Detroit Public Schools is late to the party but catching up with the city of Eastpointe, and dropping the name in favor of Eastpointe Community Schools.

The change comes 23-years after residents of the Macomb county suburb voted to lose the name "East Detroit" in an effort to separate themselves from the city across from Eight Mile Road.

Eastpointe resident Jane Cook has misgivings about doing that.

"I actually think that East Detroit should've stayed East Detroit - I don't think we should seperate ourselves from Detroit," says Cook. "We should be proud of being a part of Detroit -- because Detroit has great history; automobile, music art, (and) food.

Roy Boothbee is of a differing opinion. "That's good," he tells WWJ's Charlie Langton over and over of the separation. "About time. Because they come over and then Eastpointe gets bad -- because they think they can do like they do in Detroit."

The new name of the school district will be effective July 1.