Asheville City Schools has announced that the name of Vance Elementary School will be brought before the Asheville City Board of Education during its June 30th meeting.
Should the Superintendent, Dr. Gene Freeman, receive their approval to begin the renaming process, the district will start an extensive campaign to receive feedback from as many stakeholders as possible, especially those who currently make up the Vance Elementary School family.
Asheville City Schools provided the following statement to parents and the public:
In Asheville City Schools, we know that history cannot be ignored; however, we also know that some history should be in museums, as opposed to on the marquee of a school building whose main focus is creating a supportive, loving environment where all students can learn.
In our district, excellence with equity is more than a motto. It is the driving force of every decision we make. Therefore, we would be remiss to the social and emotional well being of children, especially our students of color, if they were to continue to attend a school named after a slave owner, as his stance on racial equity did not match the current beliefs and feelings of our Vance students, staff, families and community.
Visit the Asheville City Schools website for additional information.