I don't celebrate the fact he owned slaves. I do celebrate his other accomplishments. So, in that particular case, I would have to say, no.

Case by case basis, I guess.

n/t

If so, I'm not quite sure. I mean, as long as you explain to kids that they weren't 100% awesome...which they usually don't do.

All slaveowners weren't the same. Read about Seneca or Jefferson, for example.

http://nijaygupta.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/seneca-on-treatment-of-slaves-letter-47-a-must-read/

George Bush High: http://campuses.fortbendisd.com/campuses/bhs/about.cfm

William Jefferson Clinton Primary: http://wjcp.hps.schoolfusion.us/

One could argue that, while neither owned slaves, both neglected to take steps to protect workers foreign and domestic.

for DFW to be renamed Tom Landry Field.

Cooler heads prevailed.

If only you had a computer hooked up to other computers all over the world, you could find out more about him ...

Heck we've even got a Robert E. Lee High School near me. I found the name Robert E. Lee High School extremely offensive when I first moved here, but I was from up north. No one complains about it around here and it's got a decent sized AA student population.

Do I think new schools should be named after former confederate leaders? No

But renaming schools? I guess if the community finds the current name offensive. If no one is complaining then there is no reason.

Should we rename the State of Washington?

Matter of fact, damn near everything in that county was named after one of the guys who lynched Leo Frank.

I shit you not.

Which names did you have in mind?

Changing names doesn't change the nation's history. If there is a school named for someone known only as a planter, then I would say yes, change the name. But I wouldn't advocate changing the names of schools named after Presidents. I would instead recommend giving an honest lesson in the role of slavery in our nation's history. Banishing unpleasant historical memories only creates historical amnesia, which is dangerous.