Grady Forever? Committee recommends name change
WHAT’S NEXT?: The Henry W. Grady Renaming Committee has voted to move forward with finding a new namesake for Grady High after a month of virtual meetings with public commentary.
August 17, 2020
After a month of fielding public comments, the Henry W. Grady Renaming Committee came to a consensus to recommend a name other than Henry W. Grady to the Atlanta school board.
In order to encourage more student input and community discourse about possible names, the renaming committee slowed the renaming process by moving the next decision-making meeting to Sept. 15, where they will come forward with a list of name recommendations.
Initially, the renaming committee was scheduled to recommend a list of three possible names to the board at the Aug. 13 meeting. Committee member and Council of Intown Neighborhoods and Schools representative Janet Kinard suggested the extended deadline.
“The original timeline had making a decision [set for] next week, and I felt that the first portion of the time for the committee had really been more focused on whether we should change the name or not.” Kinard said. “I really felt like the community needed more time for consideration, and certainly, the students needed more time for providing a voice for what a name recommendation should be.”
Parent Tamara Jones supports the idea of slowing down the renaming process in order to facilitate meaningful community dialogue.
“I support a name change, but I do not support the division and resentment I see unwittingly being stoked by this public input process,” Jones said in a public comment. “I ask the committee to consider modifying it so that the current students, alumni and community can actually interact with one another and come to a conclusion that is healing and inclusive rather than divisive.”
Renaming committee members Jay Hammond, 2020 graduate, and Assistant Principal Carrie MacBrien are currently working as representatives of the school to facilitate efforts for students to give input on potential names during the extended time period. Meanwhile, senior Hollis Fluker has been mobilizing students to show up and participate in the public comment section at renaming committee meetings.
“As a student, I felt it was my responsibility to actively communicate and share information regarding the name change, so that our voices would be heard,” Fluker said. “Creating an informative guide on how to submit public comment for the committee’s live session was beneficial to all of us… In addition to the guide, I sent out constant reminders to the [senior] class, posted updates and links to Google Forms and surveys.
While some are worried that the online format of meetings would affect the outcome, Board Chairman Jason Esteves assured viewers during the Aug. 13 meeting the differences between in-person and virtual meetings were minimal.
“The conversation around having a platform where people can have more meaningful discussions, whether that was in person or virtual, it would have looked very similar,” Esteves said. “If it was in person, we would have had people in meetings voicing the same exact opinions.”
Community stakeholders are optimistic that the discussions will lead to finding more common ground while also helping the renaming committee provide a name recommendation that encompasses the spirit of the Grady community.
“When dealing with a momentous decision such as changing a school’s name, you will naturally have conversations between current students and alumni ranging from agreement to disagreement,” Fluker said. “I cannot speak for all; I am sure there are numerous students and alums willing to give their input.”
Julie Jarrard • Oct 30, 2020 at 10:08 am
Change is hard. I’m an alumni, Class of ‘ 82. All my older siblings went to Grady. My parents graduated in the 1950’s from Grady. It is personal to us. If it has offended some, I get that. Although I wonder where it stops with the defacing of history. I voted for Dr. Thomas E. Adger because he embodied the school with his service of 2 decades serving as Vice, then Principal. He was well respected and loved by all, the student body, the faculty etc. He was a fine example to aspire to. His heart and soul went into that school. He led every pep rally, football game and event. He walked those halls, uplifted his student body, with discipline and fatherly love. It’s ok to honor a school with a namesake, just let it reflect someone with a deserving history of dedication and history of that school. Also, if the community was asked to weigh in, and some did. Why is it being ignored when it comes to the board recommended name? Sure seems like they’re pushing their own agenda, and ignoring the populous vote. Wrong. It will never go down smoothly forevermore knowing this handful of committe people disregard the popular vote. It will just raise more controversy about a rash, reactionary move that is not fair.
Malaya Tapp • Sep 2, 2020 at 11:08 pm
I really don’t think a name change is necessary and I don’t support it. No one looks at the school and is instantly disgusted by the name. Most people don’t even know who Grady was. If you change the name of the school you might as well change the name of everything else named after a racist white dude which would be just about everything from the 70’s and before. When I tell people I go to Grady they nods and they’re like “oh yeah I’ve good things about Grady.” They don’t care about the name. The name is historical and yeah he may have not been the best person, but we can’t just go removing unpleasant parts of our history. Besides, the name is and should be represented by what the school is like now, not what it was or who it was named for. Grady is very diverse and has had many great students, and that’s what people associate the name Grady high school with, not some dead white guy no one knows about. I’m going to go ahead and stop now before I write an essay, but that’s how I feel about it.
Virginia Sikes • Aug 19, 2020 at 5:03 pm
Grady class of 63: Grady has been a well respected name for decades. Our Alumni has supported the school quiet a bit….needed equipment etc. Changing the name would be a bad Decision to me. Grady was well respected and admired in his day and time. If a name change is forced (which is destroying history) do not go with a person’s name…..I would have to go with Piedmont, since it is at the Park.
dana ann • Aug 19, 2020 at 12:00 am
Sadly it seems somewhat biased if you have someone from the 2020 Class and someone in the current Admin. It would make more sense to create a committee of graduates and reps in 4 year increments starting from the late 70’s-early 80’s as the name changing seems to be so controversial and somewhat biased
James Lumpkin • Aug 18, 2020 at 1:20 pm
Thomas E. Adger High School named in honor of longtime Grady assistant principal and principle and educator and coach in the Atlanta Public Schools