Naming committee makes important decisions during public meeting

The committee appointed to oversee and direct the process of a possible name change for Henry W. Grady high school held another public meeting on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, and came to a consensus that the name they will end up recommending to the board for consideration will be a name other than Henry W. Grady. They have not yet narrowed down the list of names suggested by the community but the full list of suggested names will be posted publicly soon. During the meeting, committee members, who represent different stakeholder groups, also summarized the input and feedback from their constituents that has been gathered over the past few months. According to the reports, members of the community are still divided over whether or not to change the name and what the new name should be. The meeting also focused on addressing concerns about the process of considering a name change. Committee members explained that while this process may seem fast to the public, it has been a long time in the making. In the event that Grady’s name is changed, suggestions for how to keep the history of Grady alive included establishing a monument in the memory of his legacy and the legacy of Grady alumni. The committee also deliberated over the best way to make sure that all stakeholders can be part of the discussion and decided to extend the re-naming process and deliberations into the beginning of the school year and partner with the Grady administration to ensure that students are included in the conversation. The committee has a goal of having their final recommendation ready for the October board meeting.