Committee to Look at School Naming Policy

By Carrie Whitaker, Middletown Journal, Ohio

Dec. 21–People hoping for an answer on whether a Middletown school will be named after civil rights activist Rosa Parks will have to wait.

Board members are going to “take a step back” in the process, opting not to decide on Parks Elementary School — the recommendation of a group of Middletown residents — or the Great Miami River Elementary School — the name originally suggested by the board — for the school on South Verity Parkway.

The Board of Education asked Middletown Superintendent Steve Price to organize a committee in charge of evaluating the board’s policy, which does not allow a school to be named for an individual.

“We need to look at our policy’s strengths and downfalls,” board member John Venturella said.

Vivian Washington III, president of the local chapter of the NAACP, spoke of his experience on Middletown’s redistricting committee, praising the efforts the board had made to encourage community input.

“I am dismayed we are back here,” Washington III said of the division between the board and the community over naming the new schools.

Upon learning about the board’s suggestion, Washington III said it’s a step, although he’s “a little disappointed they couldn’t just take the recommendation” to name the school after Parks.

Goals for the committee include researching other district policies on naming schools and reviewing Middletown’s policy, Venturella said. If the committee decides to allow buildings to be named for individuals, the committee must also determine criteria. Finally, the committee would be required to define a process for the community to decide the names for the schools.

Wilhelmina Prier, who organized the grassroots movement to name the school after Parks, said if asked she would consider joining the committee.

The committee should be predominately community members, including individuals who have not participated on other community task forces for the district, board members Mark Frazer and Katie McNeil suggested.

Tuesday night’s special meeting was the last for board member Frazer, whose term ends Dec. 31. Frazer has been on the board for 16 years. Board President Steve Lane was not at his last board meeting due to family responsibilities.

Marcia Andrew and David Kabithe will join the board in January.

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