‘I see some room for change’: Spokane school board plans to discuss renaming schools

As many as 40% of the buildings in Spokane Public Schools may be considered for renaming following a discussion Wednesday night by the district’s board of directors.

No timetable was provided, but the district’s board of directors planned to put the issue on the agenda later this year.

“I know we are in agreement on having that discussion,” board President Jerrall Haynes said.

The district has already sought public input on naming three new middle schools to be built during the next four years. Now it may take a hard look at renaming some of its existing buildings.

No examples were given, but director Nikki Lockwood referenced a spreadsheet “of who we name schools after.”

“I see some room for change there,” Lockwood said. “I think that would be a great conversation to have.”

Board member Jenny Slagle said she felt the timing was right, “using the momentum that we are building with racial equity” following last week’s adoption of a racial equity resolution .

Slagle added that “one school and principal in particular had asked, would we consider, since we are naming three schools, could we consider renaming some others based on some very specific community input from the school itself and the surrounding area?”

How many schools? No one offered a number, but board member Kevin Morrison – who also reviewed the spreadsheet mentioned by Lockwood – implied it could be more than a few.

“We’re looking at potentially renaming 30 to 40% of our sites, because they have that component in them that could involve that.”

No one at the meeting would elaborate on what “component” that would be, though the vast majority of Spokane schools are named for white men.

Several are named for their geographical location, several others after local and national historical figures, but only two – Sacajawea Middle School and Willard Elementary – are named for a woman.

The subject of nicknames and mascots didn’t come up, though it could be broached later.

Moving forward, Morrison suggested the district not attempt to “reinvent the wheel,” but borrow from other school districts around the nation that have renamed buildings.

“We’ve never had to have that conversation that I’m aware of, and I think it’s important,” Morrison said. “There are lots of models out there across the nation for doing that.”

The first of the new schools, to be located adjacent to a new Albi Stadium, is scheduled to open in the fall of 2022.