Prince William County School Board Chairman Wants to Change Names of Stonewall Jackson High School and Middle School

Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON (WMAL) – The events in Charlottesville prompted the chairman of the Prince William County School Board Ryan Sawyers, who is also a congressional candidate, to call for a middle and high school named after Confederate General Stonewall Jackson to be re-named. Sawyers said the county needs to make a stand against the hate the confederate general fought to protect.

“This initiative represents the first step toward eliminating the stain of celebration of Confederate leaders in Prince William County Schools,” Sawyers wrote in a press release.

He said names celebrating the Confederacy have “no legitimate place in our children’s lives” but believes kids need to learn about the Confederacy in the context of the Civil War.

Jackson earned the nickname “Stonewall” in a rebellion in the county during the Civil War.

“The time has come to remove the legacy of Stonewall Jackson right where it began — right here in Prince William County, VA, 30 miles from Washington, DC and in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial. It’s time to remember real heroes,” Sawyers wrote.

Prince William County Board of Supervisors chairman Corey Stewart and candidate for U.S. Senate, who ran in the gubernatorial primary on a platform of preserving Confederate history, said renaming the schools will never happen under his watch.

“The public knows it’s wrong to take the name off of a school dedicated to a very good American and Virginia hero: Stonewall Jackson,” said Stewart.

Stewart said even though any decision would be made by the school board, the board of supervisors has financial control over the school board and would not let “a single nickel” go toward renaming any schools in the county.

Sawyers acknowledged that renaming the schools will be expensive and has started a Go Fund Me to raise money for his cause. He estimates it will cost $250,000 to rename the middle school and $500,000 to rename the high school. As of early Thursday afternoon, the page had raised $1,685 towards a $750,000 goal.

Acting school board member Shawn Brann doesn’t yet know if he will support changing the names of the schools. He does take issue with the proposal but not for the same reason as Stewart.

“I am disappointed in our chairman at large because, based on his actions of the past, he likes to take advantage of topics that are national tragedies and turn them in for his own self interest,” said Brann. He believes his colleague’s real motivation for this proposal is to get votes in his run for congress.

Brann said any proposed name change would need to go through a public process. His decision would be based largely on constituent feedback, but he may not be on the board when the issue comes up for a vote. Brann is filling in for elected school board member Gil Trenum who is on active duty in Africa with the U.S. Navy Reserve. Trenum is due back in the states in October.