Who was Nathan Bedford Forrest?

[thelakelander]

There is no proof of an association of the naming of schools with the Civil Rights Movement.  Jacksonville already had schools named after Confederate Generals. It would be far easier to say that the names were chosen to follow  the trend started in the late 20's. You have no grounds to re-name this school other than a disputed association with a long vanquished (idiotic) organization.  If the activist are really only concerned with this association then by all means choose another Confederate hero to name the school...at least then they can keep their Mascot. That would show that this is not just a racial attack on southern heritage.

So for you this is all about preserving a certain part of "Southern" heritage?  That's cool but for a lot of people out there, that's not what this is about. That's certainly not my perspective.

There's also no trend starting in the 20s that carries through to the naming of Forrest. For example, you've got schools like Terry Parker, Ribault, Paxon, Fletcher, Englewood, Douglas Anderson, etc. sprinkled in there between the 1920s and 1959.

Last, this isn't an act of war, it's a name change. The only grounds needed to change the name of the school or anything else locally is a majority of the public demanding it. As I said earlier, I truly feel it will eventually change because as time goes on, the city will continue to get more diverse and the community's desires will morph to that of it's demographics. To that effect, it is what it is.

[Sgarey123]

There's also no trend starting in the 20s that carries through to the naming of Forrest. For example, you've got schools like Terry Parker, Ribault, Paxon, Fletcher, Englewood, Douglas Anderson, etc. sprinkled in there between the 1920s and 1959.

Just to be sure I went and did some homework.  You are dead wrong.  There was a trend. Duval, Jackson, Lee, Kirby Smith (PS25). We have a bunch of schools named for southerners...a good number of Confederates. They are scattered all over the timeline.

I can say this though...our leaders over the years have gone out of their way to provide balance in honoring the culture of everyone.  Black Americans have been given school after school to dedicate. There is no shortage of them. There is plenty of room for Forrest.

Just look at this:  http://www.examiner.com/article/back-to-school-who-they-are-named-after

It does not list all the names but look how many are centric around Black American sub culture?

You have no basis to rename this school. If it does get re-named and it is not named after a confederate then it is racism at work. Period. Again I would love to see it renamed to a Black confederate's name. That would teach the kids that Southern describes them as well.

The only grounds needed to change the name of the school or anything else locally is a majority of the public demanding it. As I said earlier, I truly feel it will eventually change because as time goes on, the city will continue to get more diverse and the community's desires will morph to that of it's demographics. To that effect, it is what it is.

I can definitively state that majority rule has never been the factor in the naming of schools. It has always been about diversity or donation or service.  No one will understand how you can claim diversity if you keep chipping away at only one end of the spectrum. 

It is just wrong.

[kbhanson3]

You have no basis to rename this school. If it does get re-named and it is not named after a confederate then it is racism at work. Period.

Are you suggesting that efforts to address past instances of racism against blacks equates to current racism against whites? Or am I missing your point?  Because it sounds like the same "logic" that would say that there should be an NAAWP since there is an NAACP.

And, again, as someone with family roots in the Confederacy, it is amazing to me that there is so much energy over holding onto the vestiges of what happened 150 years ago.  I just don't understand why so many people view the Confederacy as something that defines who they are today.

[thelakelander]

There's also no trend starting in the 20s that carries through to the naming of Forrest. For example, you've got schools like Terry Parker, Ribault, Paxon, Fletcher, Englewood, Douglas Anderson, etc. sprinkled in there between the 1920s and 1959.

Just to be sure I went and did some homework.  You are dead wrong.  There was a trend. Duval, Jackson, Lee, Kirby Smith (PS25). We have a bunch of schools named for southerners...a good number of Confederates. They are scattered all over the timeline.

I'm very aware of those schools and names.  I'm just saying it's no more of a trend than anything else.  However, all this is mute for why there continues to be push after push to change the name of this particular school.

I can say this though...our leaders over the years have gone out of their way to provide balance in honoring the culture of everyone.  Black Americans have been given school after school to dedicate. There is no shortage of them. There is plenty of room for Forrest.

Just look at this:  http://www.examiner.com/article/back-to-school-who-they-are-named-after

It does not list all the names but look how many are centric around Black American sub culture?

You have no basis to rename this school. If it does get re-named and it is not named after a confederate then it is racism at work. Period. Again I would love to see it renamed to a Black confederate's name. That would teach the kids that Southern describes them as well.

I'll pass on this.  It's pretty clear to me that you don't care about a name change, you're more concerned with making sure something honoring confederate history remains.

The only grounds needed to change the name of the school or anything else locally is a majority of the public demanding it. As I said earlier, I truly feel it will eventually change because as time goes on, the city will continue to get more diverse and the community's desires will morph to that of it's demographics. To that effect, it is what it is.

I can definitively state that majority rule has never been the factor in the naming of schools. It has always been about diversity or donation or service.  No one will understand how you can claim diversity if you keep chipping away at only one end of the spectrum.

LOL, you can't be serious.  After all, we're talking about the same place that attacked a group of black kids with axe handles less than a year later because they wanted to be served at a lunch counter instead of the back door. However, you are right that majority rule was not a factor in the naming of Forrest.  It was a debatable subject then, just like it is now.

It is just wrong.

This is just opinion.  It means as much as the opinions of neighboring residents who don't agree with this assessment.

[Sgarey123]

Please know that I whole heartedly am against renaming anything.  NBF should remain.  My suggestion was to consider the implications of taking a school named after a Confederate general and naming it anything else. 

If you name it after another Cofederate at least it does not seem like you are attacking our Culture.

Furthermore, it seems you now agree that the naming of NBF is not proven to be related to Civil Rights movement reaction.  That is just one more reason you listed that is now refuted. 

You must understand that the United Daughters of the Confederacy would absolutely pick a Confederate as a name.  In fact, outside of pre-statehood who are Florida's earliest heros? Confederates!

Again I post to say that the intentions of this move are very clear. It is either retribution or an offensive meant to begin the renaming of Parks, monuments, libraries, schools, or roads.  I can only imagine how much reaction would occur if this was going the other way.

Lets rename James Weldon Johnson....how about that? How does that feel?  That would be wrong too.  Name new things what you want but Leave what is in place alone.  It is wrong and the intentions prove it.

[KenFSU]

It seems that many African Americans and others in our community find it to be offensive.  That by definition makes it divisive.  Beyond that, I am disappointed and embarrassed that Jacksonville is still debating issues that clearly have racist origins.  One can cloak arguments with heritage and history, but underneath it all is racism.  This debate perpetuates the Jacksonville's reputation of a backwards cow town to many outsiders.  Debates like this make it hard to dispute that.

Well said, friend.

Completely agree.

[thelakelander]

Please know that I whole heartedly am against renaming anything.  NBF should remain.  My suggestion was to consider the implications of taking a school named after a Confederate general and naming it anything else. 

If you name it after another Cofederate at least it does not seem like you are attacking our Culture.

That's not "our" culture.  It's kind of a stretch to suggest that our nearly two century old city is defined by a four year war that took place 150 years ago. Nevertheless, this whole confederate stuff is a red herring to why Forrest's name should be stripped off that facility. Btw, Dignan Park was renamed Confederate Park nearly a century ago.  Since you've taken a stance against renaming public facilities, would you be opposed to honoring Dignan by restoring the name?

Furthermore, it seems you now agree that the naming of NBF is not proven to be related to Civil Rights movement reaction.  That is just one more reason you listed that is now refuted. 

You must understand that the United Daughters of the Confederacy would absolutely pick a Confederate as a name.  In fact, outside of pre-statehood who are Florida's earliest heros? Confederates!

No, I do believe it was a reaction to what was taking place nationwide and locally during the time the school name was selected.  It's kind of hard to ignore, once you start digging into Jax's history. Btw, when you speak of "our" culture, are you talking about Jacksonville's or the United Daughters of the Confederacy? Also, why in the world is the United Daughters of the Confederacy selecting public school names for a major city that happened to be engulfed in the middle of a major fight for Civil Rights at the time?
 

Again I post to say that the intentions of this move are very clear. It is either retribution or an offensive meant to begin the renaming of Parks, monuments, libraries, schools, or roads.  I can only imagine how much reaction would occur if this was going the other way.

Lets rename James Weldon Johnson....how about that? How does that feel?  That would be wrong too.  Name new things what you want but Leave what is in place alone.  It is wrong and the intentions prove it.

It's a stretch to compare Johnson and Forrest together. If Johnson committed Forrest's acts and had no relation to this town, then we'd have something to talk about.

[BridgeTroll]

There was a meeting regarding this last night... what happened at the meeting?

[CityLife]

How about naming it Van Zant High School? A white southerner who is actually from Jax that isn't an embarassment to most reasonable white Jaxson's.

I'm a distant relative of Robert E. Lee and had a few Virginians on my mom's side fight for the Confederacy and some for the North...but guess what? The war was 150 years ago. The Confederacy lost and its not exactly a cause worth remembering....so nobody in my family gives a crap. We certainly don't care about "some dork up in Tennessee".

[carpnter]

Since the DCSB has stopped naming schools after people, if they are going to rename it, they should just rename it Firestone Rd. High School, that way everyone will be pissed off. 

[thelakelander]

That would probably be fine with most people.

[Sgarey123]

It is everyone's culture that lives in Jacksonville...if you do not identify with it then that is a shame. However it is still your culture. Renaming is the wrong thing to do.

[CityLife]

It is everyone's culture that lives in Jacksonville...if you do not identify with it then that is a shame. However it is still your culture. Renaming is the wrong thing to do.

No actually it is not everyone's culture. Not even close.

[Sgarey123]

Reconstruction era certainly was difficult for Jacksonville and the rest of the south. To act like Jacksonville was a yankee town is interesting but not accurate. Keep in mind if you move here you don't get to change the history of the place.

We are all part of this place and should honor its past...regional and local...pre statehood and post...sucession and reunion. Celebrate our city's personality instead of trying to rewrite or shape it!

Renaming is bad for Jacksonville.

[Sgarey123]

I have never seen monument dedicated to the fallen sons of Jacksonville who fought for the Union. But yes reconstruction and progression should be celebrated too. However one does not cancel out the other.

Renaming is bad for Jacksonville.