The name change is due to the segregationist ties with Woodrow Wilson.

Located in Washington, D.C., Woodrow Wilson High School is looking to receive a name change. The new change will come into effect in the upcoming academic school years. The school currently supports education from grades 9-12 and is located in the Tenleytown downtown area.

Although the new name must be first approved by D.C. Council, the possible replacement is being considered as Jackson Reed High School, according to The Wilson Beacon, the high school's newspaper. 

Regarding the name change, D.C.'s State Board of Education's president, Ruth Wattenberg, had some thoughts: "Woodrow Wilson, for whatever else he did on the nation state as president, he was a segregationist in D.C. and used his office as president to segregate the civil service here ... People in D.C. have been wanting to change the name of Woodrow Wilson High School for a while and in my judgment, it's a very clear case," she said overall. 

Thomas Woodrow Wilson served as the 28th President of the United States in the early 1900s. He led America through World War I and engaged in the Paris Peace Conference. However, his policies regarding the segregation of African Americans, including those who worked in the government, have not been looked at kindly.

Lewis Ferebee, the school system's chancellor, commented on the changes, saying, "At DCPS, where a majority of our school leaders and students, and nearly half of our teachers identify as Black, we are committed to fulfilling the efforts of social activism and ensuring that the names we call our schools reflect our values and commitment to diversity."

Originally, Lewis Ferebee, the school system's chancellor, wished to change the high school's name to August Wilson High School, a well-known playwright in spite of some arguments from D.C. council members, including Chairman Phil Mendelson, who said Wilson has "no connection to Wilson High School other than that his plays are in the curriculum.” However, it seems the council is settling on Jackson Reed, as a way to pay homage to Edna Jackson, who was the high school's first Black teacher, as well as Vincent Reed, who was the school's first Black principal.

The upcoming change follows another one, that of an elementary school's name change after late congressman John Lewis. 

Do you like the potential name? Let us know in the comments!