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School district votes to rename 3 Sacramento schools named after racist figures

School district votes to rename 3 Sacramento schools named after racist historical figures
School district votes to rename 3 Sacramento schools named after racist historical figures 00:50

SACRAMENTO - The Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education has voted to rename three schools.

Sutter Middle School will be renamed Miwok Middle School, Peter Burnett Elementary School will now be Suy:u (pronounced "suu you") Elementary School, and Kit Carson International Academy will be named Umoja International Academy.

The schools were originally named for individuals who engaged in, perpetuated, and condoned racism, oppression, colonization and exclusion of others, and even genocide. 

In a written statement, district officials said:

Sacramento City Unified school District strives to create a warm and welcoming environment for all students, staff, and community members. The renaming of these school sites is part of the District's work in dismantling racism from within our system.

The work to rebrand these school facilities will begin this summer and students will return in the fall to schools with these new names. Renaming these schools is estimated to cost $550,000.

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