For the second consecutive monthly meeting, the Atlanta school board delayed a decision to rename Henry W. Grady High School.
The board on Monday was scheduled to vote on changing the building’s name to Midtown High School. But, the vote didn’t happen because the board canceled the entire legislative session of its meeting.
Although the board had a quorum of members present, Chairman Jason Esteves said it would not hold the voting portion of the meeting because a “family emergency” prevented Superintendent Lisa Herring from attending. The superintendent doesn’t cast a vote on board matters, though she does present some items on the agenda for the board’s consideration.
Esteves said the legislative portion of Monday’s meeting will be rescheduled. A date has not been announced.
The board had been expected to vote Monday on proposals to rename both Grady High and Joseph E. Brown Middle School.
This is the second time the Grady renaming vote has been delayed.
Last month, the board postponed voting on a committee’s recommendation to rename the high school after the late Black journalist Ida B. Wells. Board members paused to give students a chance to weigh in on the school’s new name.
The extra time and student input ended up changing the recommendation.
In an electronic vote held last month, Grady students favored the name Midtown High School. That was the name the board was expected to approve at Monday’s meeting.
The board also was scheduled to vote Monday on changing the Brown name to Herman J. Russell West End Academy, among other action items that also were postponed.
The current names of both schools pay tribute to men who held racist views.
Grady was a managing editor of The Atlanta Constitution who died in 1889. He spoke about the supremacy of the white race while touting his vision for the “New South.”
Brown was secessionist Georgia governor who opposed slavery’s abolition.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
