Regarding the June 12 Metro article “Virginia school board sues over school name”:
I am a 1964 graduate of Stonewall Jackson High School. I strongly supported the decision to change the name of my alma mater, Mountain View High School. While it does nothing to change the injustices of the past, I hoped the name change would be more than just symbolic. I hoped it represented a change of course, a desire to have a school that was welcoming to all students. I hoped it was a rejection of the “tradition” that glorified slavery.
I am outraged that the Shenandoah County School Board voted to rename a school after a man who fought to have human trafficking legalized. That is not “legacy.” I believe our community needs honor.
I am saddened for Brianna Brown, A.D. Carter, and all the students hurt by this verdict. I thank her and her fellow students for their courage and conviction in bringing this lawsuit, and I wish them success in their lawsuit.
Jean Clanahan Winn, Henrico, Virginia
My wife and I recently attended my granddaughter's graduation from George Mason University. After a moving procession, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the presentation of the flag by an honor guard, the school choir gave a powerful rendition of “Home” and two students selected from her class gave moving speeches.
As the diploma ceremony began, what caught my attention most was not the graduates flipping across the stage or holding up banners, but the names of the graduating seniors: Afzal, Bui, Crockett, El-Aradia, Harvey, Ramirez, Shamat, Yusuf, among them. It reminded me of the choruses in multiple languages that echoed around us as we entered the arena, and how our white skin made us stand out immediately.
Hearing the faculty pronounce the graduates’ names flawlessly reminded me of Virginia’s era of “Great Resistance” and the time when Governor Harry F. Byrd fought against the integration of public schools. I remembered the land taken by eminent domain from my wife’s father for Falls Church’s new high school, which opened in 1959. The school committee named it after a Confederate traitor as a sign of racist resistance to school integration. The name remained in place until 2018, when it was changed in an act of reconciliation.
I wondered what the School Committee members and Bird would think when they heard Selam, Makeda, Edina, Rudayna, Yeabsta and Habib introduce their distinguished guests and give speeches at George Mason. Would they admit how wrong they were? Or would they vote, as the Shenandoah County School Board recently did, that the original name is “history, not hate” and reinstate the name to the school?
As I heard the names of José, Alexander, Huala, and Jason being called out across the arena, I did not feel any fear of replacement or harm. Rather, I felt pride and awe for the accomplishments of these young men, their families and friends — and pride that their accomplishments were achieved in the country of my birth. The cheers and cheers as the names were called may not have sounded like an atmosphere conducive to peaceful reflection, but to me it was a moving moment that demonstrated the human courage and commitment of the graduates and the audience.
Our schools not only survive but thrive thanks to a diverse student body, and when our schools do better, we do better.
Roger Barbee, Woodstock, Virginia
Do they have no sense?
Regarding the June 14 Retropolis article, “Majority of House Republicans, including three Black Republicans, vote in favor of failed Confederate monuments bill”:
I was saddened and outraged that members of Congress were trying to reinstall Confederate statues at Arlington National Cemetery, especially statues with racist connotations.
My father and mother, Max and Esther Ruhl, are buried there. Our good friend Frannie Bielowski is buried there. (Her husband Mel served in Germany during and after WWII.) My good friend Randy Bryant is buried there. And so is our family friend Douglas Doody, who died defending the U.S. Embassy in Saigon.
About 90 percent of House Republicans voted to restore this monument, but I would like to know how many of them have a close connection to this cemetery and personally understand what this monument means to the families and friends of those buried there. This is not a place for political games. This is a place to commemorate the men and women who honorably served our country and their families. Using the cemetery for political games is spitting on their graves.
I know what it's like to be spat on by someone protesting service to their country. I was in the Reserve Officers Training Course at the University of Akron when the Kent State protests against the Vietnam War broke out. When Kent State closed, some of the protesters came to Akron. I didn't support the war, but I believed in country, and I still do. I served in the Reserves for 20 years after that.
What I really want Congress to remember is that this is a cemetery for the families and friends of our fallen heroes, not a political game. The people who buried their loved ones there should have a say in what goes on there, not self-serving politicians.
Douglas Rule, Colorado Springs
Caring for LGBTQ+ kids in DC
Regarding the June 8 Metro article, “DC budget celebrates Pride, invests millions in LGBTQ+ causes”:
While I applaud Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) and the D.C. Council for placing an emphasis on LGBTQ+ adult programming in the FY 2025 budget, I am concerned that the same attention and funding is not being directed to D.C. youth.
Middle and high school students, the most vulnerable in this age group, may overall receive fewer services than previous years due to public school budget shortfalls. As a parent of a student in Washington, DC public schools, I can attest to the current situation where resources for LGBTQ+ students are nonexistent or limited. Not all middle and high schools have unisex or single-sex restrooms, co-ed sports options, LGBTQ+ mentors and specially trained counselors in schools, loaner closets for clothing and personal items, housing resources for students who have been kicked out of their homes by their families, and the systems and staff in place to address mental and physical bullying in schools that are touted as safe spaces.
I implore the Mayor and City Council to not forget public school students in funding LGBTQ+ community programs, now and in the future.
Jill Russo Downey, Washington
Please don't spoil Rock Creek Park
The June 10th Metro article, “Coalition seeks delay in golf course renovation,” reporting on a proposal that would desecrate my local golf course at Rock Creek Park, summarises many of the reasons why I am eager to see the National Capital Planning Commission reject the current proposal outright.
I have enjoyed playing at this wonderful 18-hole course just a five minute drive from my home for nearly 30 years. Course Manager James Garvin Jr. and his excellent staff have kept all the greens in top condition. The first nine holes, which I now play 3-4 times a week, are in the best condition I have ever seen them.
Unfortunately, the classic and challenging 9-hole back nine course has been marred by being reduced to 5 holes. At 93 years old, I will not be able to play in this so-called improvement fiasco, given the optimistic 2-year timeline for this work.
I have played golf all over the world, including the famous Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland, and if the original 18 holes were restored, Rock Creek would be a great course, not a mess with a huge unused driving range and a totally unnecessary clubhouse.
Donald A. Collins, Washington
I read with concern the June 10 Post article about plans to expand the golf course at upper Rock Creek Park and include a night driving range.
Like many DC residents, I frequent the park but only recently discovered the trail. I went to see for myself and was amazed by one of the most beautiful urban oases I have ever seen. Maybe it's the abundance of birds, the giant ancient trees, the mist that rolls over the grasslands at dusk, and the chorus of frogs croaking nearby. I can certainly see the need for some rehabilitation, including removing invasive species that the National Park Service has allowed to get out of control.
But the current plan will do much more than that – destroying over 1,100 native trees across eight acres of precious urban forest habitat, and along with it many of the benefits for DC's human and non-human residents. For what? A golf “theme park” costing approximately $30 million that will satisfy a small percentage of the population? I believe this plan is a serious error of judgment on the part of the National Park Service, a mismanagement of our public lands, and a violation of our trust.
Daniel Schramm, Washington
