Students pushing to rename Topeka school district named after KKK leader

[struggle4progress]

... a report by two journalism students at Seaman High School .. proved ... Fred A. Seaman was a member of the Ku Klux Klan ...

"We have made excuses and excuses for decades, and nobody had cared to do anything about it," said Forrest Brungardt, who with Rene Cabrera and others have been leading the push to rename the school.

"We think a good first step would be distancing ourselves by renaming our school," said Brungardt ...

... Seaman School District ... sent us a statement from their School Board President .. "The board has been receiving feedback on this topic since October and we continue to welcome those who want to reach out to us. I believe it is the board's role to facilitate this community discussion and process. Obviously, this is new ground for us that we are trying to navigate while in the midst of a pandemic but I look forward to working with our community as we develop a process for feedback and a resolution."

https://www.kmbc.com/article/topeka-school-district-named-after-kkk-leader-now-students-community-are-pushing-to-rename-it/35688783#

[lagomorph777]

1. Disgusting name. Might as well be "Semen School District."

[gratuitous]

2. Oh they'd change that name in a heartbeat

Because of s_x. But the name of a KKK adherent? That needs to proceed far more carefully.

A couple of years ago, the students at my high school decided they didn't want to be called the Rebels anymore. Back when I went there in the mid-70s, the name had a certain meaning and association. That's changed over the course of 40 years, and they renamed themselves the Red Hawks, a move I fully endorsed (not that I have or should have any say in the matter). In the grand scheme of things, it's not terribly earth-shaking, but at least we go forward without having to carry this bit of baggage any further.

Change the name, Kansas.

[underpants]

3. New mascot : the Swimmers

[Klaralven]

4. We should avoid naming stuff after people to preclude future name changes.

For example, we have a lot of name changes to make to erase that notorious slave holder George Washington from Washington, DC, Washington State, and numerous other buildings and geographical features.

For the history of Seaman --

Educator, community icon and KKK leader: Who was Fred Seaman?

https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/local/2020/12/07/educator-community-icon-and-kkk-leader-who-was-fred-seaman/115111394/