John Pierre Hill

Voted this morning.  Voting is in the gym and I was in and out in less than 10 minutes.  I did show my diploma and drivers license to verify I was voting as an alumni.

Tommy Nixon

To Dorethea, I wanted to thank you for the history of Riverside and Avondale along with Brooklyn and Silvertown. I've since been googling the heck out of this. It had brought on much discussion between my brother and I. He still lives in Jax Beach and I am in California. Nevertheless it's opened some doors and we're having a ball with it. Muchos gracias!

Tommy Nixon

Ooops! Sorry, it's Dorothea.

Susan Victoria Fritts (Burnett)

Just read all the rediculous brew-ha-ha and folks getting mad over whether the various Jacksonville HS names will be changed.  Shame on those with NO empathy for those kids whose great-great-grandparents were slaves and now have to attend PUBLIC schools named after people who fought to keep them enslaved.  I like history as much as the next person, but for all those that want to KEEP the name, I say we'll all be DEAD, as is the General, and won't know any difference!  Can we ALL JUST GET ALONG?  Remember what Forest Gump said?  Stupid is as stupid does!  WHAT the name is won't make any difference to a person's health or family relationships - WHY is this SUCH a BIG deal?  I say, GET A LIFE and move on!

Dorothea Youngblood (Lucas)

It's not ridiculous is just we did not want the Marxist BLM change the name of the school that we dearly love and grew up ! Robert E Lee had nothing to do with what the Northside Resilence is proclaiming and even so it was over a 150 years ago so why should they care if you expect us not to care. It's our History and history should not be change because a small fraction of America did not like it. Slavery started with the Egyptians in Bibical times! There are over 4 million slaves today in the world and over 400,000 slaves in the United States. Instead of worrying about the pass why don't you worry about the future! You can start by not buying any products from Amazon, Wal Mart, Home Depot, Lowes, Apple, Microsoft, Solar panels or any large corporation retail that buys from China. Put your money where your empathy is!

Johnny Arnold

Thanks Susan Fritts. I agree with you.

This is 2021 not the 1920s when Jim Crowe and White Supremacy were full on. I live in US because 30 close family member and over 100 of my Czech Jewish family member had been killed in concentration camps by White Supremacists’, NAZIs. If the Germans had chosen to celebrate that part of their history they would not be the country it is today. They chose to face that issue. They teach that history. Not only do they teach but the app they use in schools so children will learn about NAZIS, HOLOCAUST, CONCENTRATION CAMPS so a student can check addresses and the app will give them the information on the Jewish family that had lived there before the war. The Czech Jewish population that I am part of was wiped out by the White Supremacists. 

White supremacy is on the rise and now being public. I use the word White Supremacist rather than NAZI as NAZIs were their form of White Supremacy. The US has its forms of White Supremacy like Oath Keepers, Proud Boys who have come into public view especially since January 6th. The Confederacy was an uprising against the UNITED States. I have ancestors such as Confederate General William Miller. All of us have all kinds of ancestors. 

The Germans don't celebrate the SS. They learned and grew. If they can we can too. The change history argument is without merit. History is not static. History is dynamic. Check with a history professor.

FACTS:
Robert E Lee was a Confederate General. No question about that. 
The Civil War happened. No question about that.
The South had slaves. No question about that.
The slaves were emancipated. No question about
The South imposed Jim Crowe and other laws such that Black people were never give the full rights of a white citizen. No question about that. 
The 1920s showed a rise in White Supremacy. The statues and names like of our beloved school was caught up in that. 
Robert E Lee High was founded in 1928 right in the time where white supremacy was very active

My father enlisted in the Army before he was of age and went infantry man to Europe. My uncle, from Jacksonville was an officer on Normandy Beach for over 300 days and received the highest honor the French give to non-French citizens. They fought against the White Supremacists. 

Not addressing the real ongoing racism in our country for me is to me very personal. My grandfather was not Jewish, but my grandmother was. That was illegal as a biracial marriage under the NAZIs. My grandfather was put in a forced labor camp by the Nazis for being in an illegal biracial marriage. This is what you get when race or skin color determines what as person means in the country. It is a sickness and in our very recent this sickness is alive. 

This is a Holocaust museum video interview of Otto Springer, who I knew. He was in the Nazi forced labor camp with my grandfather. It is 3 hours long. He was in the camp for being in a biracial marriage. 

The history is there. The celebration of policies meant to bring back a mythologized time when White People drank mint julips while black slaves were treated worse than farm animals is for me a time to face and address so we are really a country for and by the people, ALL PEOPLE, with EQUAL JUSTICE FOR ALL. Our fathers, grandparents fought and many injured and died for that. It has been a cause worth dying for so we can have a cause worth living for to bring these ideals into the 21st century..

https://www.facebook.com/Arnold2345/posts/10225263719524694

Michael Thomas Hutson

Nobody is changing history. Just choosing to no longer honor Confederate generals. The sun will come up tomorrow and life will go on as always. 

Tommy Nixon

Mike Hutson. In 3 sentences you summed it up. Bravo!

Terry Wayne Wallace

Tommy, I agree with you, Mike nailed it.

Dorothea Youngblood (Lucas)

So exactly when will it stop? Until we change the name of Jacksonville? The past is the past and you learn from the past! But have we exactly learned? India is the highest % of enslavement with China being number 2. Just buying the fruits ,vegetables and nuts from California uses some form of slave labor. Do you consider that ok?  Or the present day child trafficking done  by the illegals ? 400,000 enslavement is in the US just as worst as 150 years ago! Changing the name of school will not stop present day slavery.

Johnny Arnold

Michael Thomas Hutson

Renaming the school has nothing to do with present day slavery or any other national or world problems. Lee has not been a "whites only" school since the '60s. The present day student population is much more diverse. It's pretty tone deaf to think that black students wouldn't be bothered by attending a school named for a Confederate general. I'm surprised it has taken this long to change the name. If you are having trouble understanding that, consider if there was a high school named for Adolph Hitler that Jewish students had to attend. And, no, I am not equating Robert E. Lee with Adolph Hitler. The Civil War is long over and it certainly was not a high point in American history. It is time to let go of "hell no I ain't fergittin'" and move on. 

Susan Victoria Fritts (Burnett)

Dorothea,  One step at a time.  Rome wasn't built overnight.   As to your goods made in China remark:  I agree with you on not supporting Chinese made goods, but unfortunately we've outsourced goods that the U.S. no longer makes, so we can buy them at lower prices - prices that some folks couldn't afford if we made all products here, and that's before we discuss the fact that minimum wage HERE needs to be increased to a liveable amount (which would increase the costs of goods made here even more).  Is that right or wrong?  No, there are just a LOT of parts to the story that I believe make an ALL or NOTHING solution difficult. 

My initial point was WHY is renaming a school creating such a fuss?  Is it really THAT critical to MOST of our (white) everyday lives to get so worked up over it?  Aren't there MORE important issues that need to be addressed that affect a LOT more folks?   Although I have an opinion, I believe our country has so many more important things to worry about, like if Democracy will survive the lies being told and (like a HS name) the efforts being made by some to disadvantage select voters going forward or whether this pandemic is truly coming to an end, or if more innocent people will be killed so that others have a right to carry a gun without a permit, the list goes on.

And lastly to Mike Hutson – I sure wish I was as well-spoken as you – brief and to the point.  Well done!

Susan Victoria Fritts (Burnett)

P.S.  What was the outcome anyway?

James (Jim) Mackie

The outcome based upon the vote was to change the name & recommended it will be Riverside HS, nickname unknown at this time, School Board will vote on the superintendants recommendation to make the changes next week.  Still has to be funded & the process seems to be unclear at this time.  Hope all are well & safe.

Tommy Nixon

Question and I mean this seriously. I don't remember Dorothea Youngblood (Lucas). It's entirely possible that my age and memory are catching up with me. I apologize for that. Like many of my classmates, I resort to looking back at school annuals to recall names and faces. I own 3 (Lee '68, Lee '69 and Lakeshore Junior High '66). The only Youngblood I see is male and there is no Dorothea, in any of them. So Dorothea, could you give us, me, a bit of frame of reference. Your name sounds real familiar (like I should know it) but I'm at a lost, which is not unusual for me. At the 50th reunion, and prior reunions, it has become clear to me just how many people in our senior class I did not really know. I'm assuming you're someone from the ' 69 class but there is a possibility that you are an 'avatar' for someone else. Inquiring minds want to know. I appreciate the help.. sincerely. Tom

Beverly Joyce Mc Coy (Smith)

This is so pathetic!! Confederate soldiers lost!! The war is over!! I'm sick of reading all these Jim Crowe pathetic, hateful comments! Robert E Lee H. S. Is gone with the wind!! Get Over It! BeverlyJMcCoy! 

Dorothea Youngblood (Lucas)

Robert E Lee is a magnet school. Those who want to go to Lee want to go to Lee just as if they want to  go to Douglas Anderson for their programs. This name changing was done by Mr Frazier of the Northside Resilience that doesn't live in the community. By any chance when was the last time anyone visited Forest High school? Yes it's fits the narrative of looking like a prison with metal fences and barb wire for added decorations! You say one step at a time but you allow present day enslavement exist because we enjoy the cheap luxuries. Those slaves are treated just as worst than 150 years ago. When I went to China, I saw this baby on the side of the road. I told my driver to pull over so I can help that baby. The driver got out , picked up the baby removed it's clothing to show me the scar where an organ was removed. They continue that practice not only on babies, children but now on older humans who they put in their Reconditioned Camps. Also as far as this CCP virus which was man made as a super virus in the Wahun Lab. What makes you think China will not make or isn't making another one? Yes we have very important issues than changing the name of a school when that money could be spent on education since the rating is below par. And yes Tommy I did go to REL and I dated David Covington . RIP!

Betsy Patton (Johnson)

Tommy Nixon, Dorthea Youngblood was in the class of 68'.  Yes, she attended Lee, but not in our class, so you are correct in not remembering her..

Tommy Nixon

Betsy and Dorothea, thanks for the clarification! Nice to put a face with a posting.

Beverly Joyce Mc Coy (Smith)

I'm changing my subscription to "go away". Thank You Dorothea for spitting your vile all over this forum. You are obviously just around to rile up hate speech. The epitome of what REL stood for those that where enslaved. I was always ashamed to put REL on my resume because of what the Confederacy stood for. I hated sitting in History class listening about every damn battle ever fought in the Civil War and mostly lost!! In my opinion the Civil War is a black mark on our history!!  Waking up to 3-4 REL messages just puts me in a crappy mood!!! The damn name is changed and I for one am thrilled!! Riverside High School sounds perfect to me! By the way Dorothea I doubt all your chest thumping has changed a single mind! In fact I bet you didn't even vote!! I don't believe a word about your trip to China either and who are you to dispute United Nations findings. Oh yeah and Rump lost too!! I'm over this!! The only time you will see me at another reunion is when Hell freezes over! 

Susan Victoria Fritts (Burnett)

LOL!!!  Really?  My point exactly!  This is expending WAY TOO MUCH energy unnecessarily.  Sorry I brought it up.  My apologies to ALL.  Relax and enjoy Memorial Day, celebrate those who fought for freedom and are no longer alive to enjoy the rights of free speech that they fought for.

Dorothea Youngblood (Lucas)

Beverly sorry if I hit a hot button. Just to let you know that I spent 21 years in China. Tommy did you play basketball for Robert E Lee. I went to all of in town games while dating David. Such fun going to the games. Hi Betsy , you also was my neighbor with Debbie. All the outdoor games we played on Shirley Ave. Have a great Holiday and remember they died for us to be free! 

Tommy Nixon

Dorothea, I did play basketball with David Covington. He was a great human being and a lovely person as was his entire family. Our family routinely shopped at Covington Lumber and Hardware on the corner of Rosevelt and St. John's when it existed. I now even remember you vaguely but not associated with David, unfortunately though I have no doubt that's true. You and I come from completely different views of life I think, tough in all fairness I don't really know you at all. We're both entitled to our views obviously. I turn 70 years old tomorrow and I'll soon be joined by my son, daughter, and granddaughter to quietly count all my blessings of having lived so long and so well. I'm very fortunate. I'm a 6'5" white male from a hardworking middle class family. I owe everything to my roots and fortunate position in life. I care more about the world my kids and grandkids will live in and anything else now. The division and insurrectionary powers in our country are deeply concerning to me. Hatred has no place in my house. If we are to move forward we all have to tone it down some and rediscover what it means to be a good person and a good citizen, I think. That's what I want for my birthday. I wish that for you as well. As Mr. Huston said, "the sun will shine tomorrow." I recommend that on this Memorial Day, we honor all who served and gave their all for this country. I also recommend remembering two horrible events that took place in Oklahoma at the turn of the century and shortly after, Greenwood in Tulsa and the Reign of Terror on the Osage Indian Reservation a few years later. Black and Red people are human beings too and they've been looking for justice for a very long time. If I've learned anything in life it's to try and walk a mile in someone else's shoes. Best to you and your family!

Beverly Joyce Mc Coy (Smith)

I woke up to more messages from REL. Nuts! I only went to Lee because my mother re-married and I was enrolled at Wolfson. Not my cup of tea! I felt like I was going to school in a dungeon. I loved the huge Windows at Lee. If I could afford it my house would be all Windows. I then got into my car to take my grandson to 2nd grade. Four more days and he's out for the summer. I taught him at home for the first semester but put him back in regular school 2nd semester. It's been a rough year. I'm rearing my grandson but that's another story. I turned my radio on and low and behold the PB station was talking about.....are you kidding me....REL....way down here in Central Florida! Apparently REL has been raising Hell over the name change. 70% of the school is black and they don't want to go to a Rebel school that stands for enslavement of people. Why so many schools in Jacksonville are named after Confederate soldiers is beyond me!! Again the shameful Jim Crowe!! Apparently Lee has had 5 city council meetings when all the other schools only had 3. The school board is voting tonight whether to uphold the vote count for Riverside High. I say Go For It!! Riverside High it is!! I'm trying to limit my emails from REL. Sorry just "Don't give a Damn, my dear! ". I can't seem to hit the ditch info button. If anyone knows how to get off the email list please inform me! I will leave this forum God willing! Goodbye Lee! I still don't believe you lived in China... Dorothea. Why would they allow an American in?? For 21 years?? They are a Communist country.