Overwhelming Support for Restoring School Names in Shenandoah County
By Lewis Michael
The Coalition for Better Schools has recently conducted a mail survey to poll the citizens in Districts 1, 2, & the Edinburg area of District 3, on their choices for the names of the Southern Campus schools in Shenandoah County. In a remarkable display of community sentiment, 91.3% of the survey respondents have voiced their desire to restore the original names of the Southern Campus schools: Stonewall Jackson High School and Ashby Lee Elementary School.
The fervent support for these historical names has ignited passionate discussions and drawn attention to the county’s complex past.
Both schools were originally named after prominent figures from the Civil War era. Stonewall Jackson, Turner Ashby, and Robert E. Lee, all left indelible marks on the region. However, these long standing marks were erased in July 2020, when the Shenandoah County School Board made the hasty decision to rename these institutions without regarding the input of most of the local citizens. This ignited much controversy in Shenandoah County. While some applauded the change as a step toward progress, most felt it erased an essential part of their own and the county’s storied history. Groups started to form protesting the decision, surveys were signed against changing the names, many voiced their opposition at School Board Meetings, but to no avail, as the decision was made and the community largely felt unheard. (Even after a petition which garnered over 3000 signatures the board moved on. The passion behind these signatures reflects the deep emotional connection people have to their schools and their community’s past.)
The residents have now finally been given the chance to speak via this survey conducted by the Freedom Press and Coalition for Better Schools. This chance to voice their opinions was voted down by the previous school board, who declined to survey the public in June of 2022.
This has been facilitated by the replacement of each board member who held a seat in 2020 and 2022, none of which ran for another term, along with the retirement of former Superintendent Mark Johnston.
As Shenandoah County grapples with its past and charts a course for the future, the overwhelming support for restoring these school names underscores the power of community engagement. Whether through petitions, town hall meetings, or heartfelt conversations, residents are actively shaping the narrative of their county.
The debate over school names is not merely about words etched on a building; it’s about the values and aspirations of a community. As the Shenandoah Valley continues to evolve, these schools stand as symbols of resilience, growth, and the enduring spirit of those who call this place home.
Let us honor our history while embracing progress, recognizing that our schools play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation. The overwhelming consensus speaks volumes: the names of Stonewall Jackson High School and Ashby Lee Elementary School matter deeply to the people of Shenandoah County.
The name restorations have been pledged to be fully privately funded and will not use any public funds to pay for the related costs. This was not the case with the original changes.
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