April 13, 2018 Dear Classmates, Along with several members of our 1963 class, I was able to attend the April 9 meeting of Henry alums at the Palmer Lake VFW regarding the proposed name change. I’m sharing this for the benefit of those who wanted to be there, but could not. I want to stress these are my personal observations, and they may be different than the perceptions others may have had of what was said or done. It was relatively well-attended, roughly 140-160 by my count, and there were grads there representing the 50’s through the 90’s. There were roughly a half-dozen former African-American alumni present, and none of them expressed support for the name change.  I’m not sure what was really accomplished, though I am sure that this meeting was an important cog in the gears that will need to turn to stop the name change. About a dozen different grads spoke for various lengths of time, including myself. Monte Miller spoke first, and gave a very impassioned set of opening remarks. Some spoke to release frustrations while others had suggestions to share about how to proceed. There were still others who are on the inside, including a woman who works at Henry and serves on the site council, and who indicated she could be placing her job at risk by being there.  She stated that the process being used by the change the name movement has not been honestly communicated to the community or through the media. One example she gave is that Channel 4 and others have reported that 90% of current Henry students have voted to change the name. She said no such vote has ever taken place, and that the only voting option the students have been given is to vote on what the new name should be, as though it’s already a done deal.  She also said she is confident if this was put to a vote, a sealed ballot where students were allowed to vote in private, that a majority of students would make it clear they do NOT want to see the name changed. She said there is a culture of fear right now, and students who object to the name change feel genuinely intimidated to oppose it, concerned about risking their physical safety. She also said that this is really being pushed by a group of adults, including a small group of teachers on the current faculty. Oddly, because of the imminent budget cuts, $1.9M to the Henry budget specifically, the two most vocal and directly involved of the teachers may very well not be back next school year. Several presenters with close connections to the school stressed that while the principal, Mr. Abdullah, claims to be neutral, he is nothing close to that. They said he is quietly, but assertively pushing the name change, and is working hard behind the scenes to convince the superintendent and board that everyone wants this change.  So what happens next? Not yet perfectly clear, but there was much talk about sending as many people as possible to the site council meeting on April 19th. I was among several who volunteered to go. The site council meetings are open to the public. But then we were informed by the woman who works there, that the principal plans to move the next site council meeting offsite. Based on further information acquired since Monday, the site council meeting time and location appears very fluid. Some of us were wondering today if the actual announcement will be intentionally made in such a last minute fashion that it will make it impossible for those of us who want to attend to be there.  We were also told that the principal has told the site council that their vote is simply a courtesy to allow them to express their views, but that the final recommendation to the superintendent will be his. I’m sharing this second hand, so I have no way to assert the validity of that, but unfortunately, it does appear consistent with what we seem to be witnessing. For example, I know of no one who has received a response from the principal to any letters that have been written, even though such a response has been requested. One of the ideas that I think makes a lot of sense is to send representatives of the alumni before the school board, and to primarily challenge the fairness and rationale behind the change the name process. This would include asking to see the ballots of the student vote that never happened, demanding to know if subs were hired at district expense to free up teachers to lead coaching sessions with the small group of kids who have been the spokespersons for this (we know this happened); whether or not a complete cost analysis had been done; who paid for the printing of all signs, banners, forms, position letters, and so on; was this done on school time; and were those with opposing views given equal time, and similar.  A couple of alums who live in Mpls, and whose property taxes go directly toward funding the schools suggested they don’t think pointing out the estimated cost of a name change to the school board is a winning strategy. Their position was that members of the school board push back when anyone tells them how they should manage their budget.  A basket was circulated for cash contributions and about $500 was collected. One idea was to use the money to purchase a couple hours of legal advice regarding options for stopping this.  A couple of thoughts now coming from me: I believe the only way to stop this is to convince members of the school board that the process to get to this point has been flawed, undemocratic, biased, and rushed, and to implore them to table this until the spring of 2019 to allow both those in favor of the name change and those who oppose it sufficient time to be heard, and to give the board sufficient time to consider the impact of the name change on a budget that is already being pared back considerably.  I wonder what tax payers in the other parts of Minneapolis are thinking, that is, if they are informed about this. At a time when the budgets are being dramatically cut at the schools in their neighborhoods, class sizes expanding, teacher staff levels reduced, programs being pared back, and some extracurricular activities eliminated, they may wonder why the district would budget $300,000 or $400,000 for a name change at Henry.  I encourage any other classmates who were at the meeting to add your thoughts, and to please correct me if I got any of this wrong. If you were there and heard something different please speak up. I’m fine with that because it was a lot to absorb. There will be another meeting of the legacy alumni group at large at Palmer Lake VFW at 6:30 on Monday, April 23rd. Please attend if you can, especially if you weren’t able to attend the first one. If I learn more I’ll be happy to share.  Dave Mrocek

 

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4/4/2018

We’re From Henry, We’re From Henry

There is a very vocal movement among some current students and staff to change the name of our school on the grounds Patrick Henry was a slave owner and thus the namesake is offensive to many current students of African descent. While their motivation is understandable, the name change movement is being misguided and divisive. It has the potential to do more harm than good.

If enough opposition is raised, it is possible to slow down the movement and put in place a balanced process that makes a thorough assessment and reaches for a compromise. One suggested compromise is to return to calling the school simply “Henry High School” the name that appears on our diplomas.

If you oppose a radical name change of our school, Please make your voice heard.

1. Send an email message today to the principal and superintendent:

Principal Yusuf Abdullah at yusuf.abdullah@mpls.k12.mn.us

Superintendent Ed Graff at mpssup@mpls.k12.mn.us

 

In a few words, a few sentences, a few paragraphs or a few pages, express your opposition and include the following:

1. Give your reasons for opposing the name change.

2. Ask for a balanced approach to the process of addressing student concerns and the proposed name change, a process that seeks compromise, realistic solutions and unity.

3. If compromise is unattainable, request the name change be put to a vote with the former name "Henry High School" being one of the choices and that all former students and staff, as vested members of the Henry community, be given an equal voice and equal vote.  A vote can be conducted vie the internet on the school website to make it accessible and inclusive, and eligible voters can be checked through school records to ensure an honest process.

4. Ask for a response to your email message. (This will require acknowledgement of your concerns and will give each message further weight.)

2. Attend the rally if possible where former students and staff from across generations will meet to discuss actions to oppose and prevent the name change.

Monday, April 9, 2018 at 6:30 PM

Palmer Lake VFW

2817 Brookdale Drive

3. Contact your classmates, siblings and friends from other classes and ask them to send an email to the principal and superintendent opposing the name change.

 

Let’s fight for dear ol’ Henry High so students and staff, past, present and future can be bound together because We’re From Henry! All of us.

AND THIS.....

 

To: Principal Yusuf Abdullah and Superintendent Ed Graff,

I am writing to you as a member of Henry’s Class of 1963 and as a member of the school’s Hall of Fame. I speak for myself, yet I know my message carries the sentiments of many former students, faculty, staff and community supporters.

I am aware there is a movement among some current students and staff to change the name of the school on the grounds Patrick Henry was a slave owner and thus the namesake is offensive to many current students of African descent. I understand their motivation, and it is more than admirable that students, regardless of race, should denounce the notion of slavery. So, I applaud them for their activism, energy and idealism, but I also feel the name change movement may be misguided with the potential to do more harm than good.

Slavery was a shameful part of our nation’s imperfect past, leaving scars that remain today. Yet, scars acquired as our nation struggles to evolve are good things. They serve to remind us that rights to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, as well as the concept of liberty and justice for all, are national ideals we are still striving to implement, and the costs of our ongoing struggle to reach them have been and will be great. Many Founding Fathers were flawed and imperfect men. Yet, they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, and they worked tirelessly for years at great personal cost and sacrifice to create a country that continues to be one of the greatest social experiments in the history of civilization.

I am not writing to defend Patrick Henry. That said, it is unlikely the students, faculty and outside organizers seeking the name change have done a thorough, scholarly examination of Patrick Henry’s life, his contributions to independence, state and local government, his position on the abolition of slavery, and his treatment of his slaves. Nor is it likely they have a deep, comprehensive understanding of the history of our nation, of slavery in North American and of the complex revolutionary and post-war independence era in which Henry lived, all necessary to put things in context before passing judgement. Rather, I am writing to ask you to remind the students that rarely are things simple. Life is complicated, the on-going process of developing a truly fair and just nation is complicated, and the students’ proposed name change is complicated, too.

For decades the school was known as Henry High. My diploma was issued from Henry High School, our mascot was a cartoon character we called L’il Henry. We were proud to be “Patriots” because most students at Henry could easily identify with the fighting spirit of an underdog colonial seeking independence and opportunity. We developed lifelong friendships and received encouragement in the halls of Henry. That is why former students, faculty and staff continue to support our school in a variety of ways, hoping to pass on to current students a similar rich experience that will help them prepare for adulthood.

It is my understanding Henry High School was rebranded as part of an effort to give a declining school a rebirth. The school became known at Patrick Henry High and it adopted a new logo as part of an image change. Patrick Henry High experienced many successes - a strong IB program, awarded robotics and math teams, state basketball championships, national ranking. This progress was made through the efforts and contributions of a broad and diverse set of stakeholders committed to the success of students, and in part by the legacy and loyalty of those connected to the school throughout the years.

Perhaps the students and adult forces advocating for a radical name change are not fully aware of the consequences of their action. Many former students have strong feelings about the school at which they spent their formative years. They continue to support it directly or through the PHHS Foundation. Should a name change come about, longtime supporters may no longer be interested in helping a student body that rejects the identity we have in common and does away with the school traditions that bind us together. Some feel the school is being hijacked by a few interested only in exerting power by making it “their” school and by disconnecting the school from the thousands of students and staff who will always be Henryites. Others deeply resent the inference of those demanding the name change that anyone who is against it is racist and pro-slavery. It is deeply disturbing that adult staff advisors to the students and/or outside agitators spearheading the movement would allow such a tactic to be used, because it is fundamentally wrong. In addition, a win-lose approach is bound to be destructive. Perhaps the students are not fully aware that if they achieve their “feel good” moment of instituting a name change, it will come at the cost of deeply wounding and alienating many, many people in their community of support - the people who are trying to help them. Their legacy will be a community divided and a school with less resources and support for future students.

The school is facing a $1.9 million budget cut and you certainly know the expense of a radical name change will be substantial. Even if the money for a name change could be found, would it not be better spent in the classroom to the benefit of the students’ learning experience?

I hope a name change will not be rushed through for approval to appease the noisy without further deliberation, and that a thorough examination is made to determine to what extent the students are being manipulated for the agenda of outsiders. While acknowledging and respecting the valid concerns of the activist students, perhaps a process can be implemented that allows more time to examine all the ramifications of a name change, that offers students a balance of information, that puts forth ideas for addressing student concerns, and that leads to a compromise solution that will unite rather than divide the Henry community.

If this is not possible, in the spirit of democracy and as a living civics lesson, this issue should be put to an internet vote with all former students and staff, as vested members of the Henry community, having an equal voice and an equal vote in the matter.

The greater Henry community is unique because of its unparalleled diversity. We are from every race, color, creed, ethnic background, age group, gender, economic status and sexual orientation. We share a love for the school and a desire for all current students to achieve their best. Let us be particularly careful not to damage all the good it has taken years to develop. Let us all work toward compromise and unity so that the school will forever remain collectively “ours” and generations of students from all backgrounds can remain bound together because “We’re from Henry”.

I await your response.

Sincerely, 

Barbara Welke Lambesis

3303 East Oregon Avenue

Phoenix, AZ 85018

blambesis@cox.net

 

(After sending your letters, please check the "NAME CHANGE SURVEY"  survey on the left side column.  Thank you so much for you support!     Just remember....we're from Henry!)

 

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3/22/2018

Barb,

Nice to get your note, and your expression of support. I realize that many of our alumni are living in areas of the nation that make attending rallies and such very difficult. 
I do think writing campaigns would be helpful. The two most obvious people to contact would be the superintendent of schools, Ed Graff, and the principal, Yusef Abdullah. Mr. Graff's email address is mpssup@mpls.k12.mn.us I do not have an email address for Mr. Abdullah, but the general school address is @henry.mpls.k12.mn.us

If I become aware of more specific information I'll pass it along.

I was actually very measured in my description of the rally for the name change. The presentations by the students in favor of the change were rife with inaccuracies, and emotional exaggerations. I felt, as did Dale, that we were being lectured to for nearly an hour. That said, it doesn't change the fact the effort by the group is very real. My personal concern is that they will win the right to rename the school to their liking, then walk away after graduation, disconnecting themselves from lifelong support for the newly-named school. I have no basis for suspecting that other than my instincts based on meetings I've attending, and perhaps I'm being unfair.

I hope this finds you well, and enjoying that Arizona weather. This is the time of year when it is typically spectacular.

All the best,

Dave

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3/20/2018

Allow me to share more perspective about the proposed change the name movement. This movement is very real, promoted by a small, but highly vocal group of students, and at least two teachers on the current Henry faculty. Based on who spoke at the last meeting, a student rally held in support of this movement, some of us suspect that the effort is also being fueled, perhaps even financially supported, by outside organizations or individuals not directly associated with Henry. That meeting was advertised as an open opportunity to exchange information, but it was hardly that. Only a singular point of view was presented. The student's primary position is that knowing they attend a school that was named after someone who owned slaves makes them feel unsafe and uncomfortable. They seem like good and sincere kids, bright kids, but they did not seem open to hearing any opposing view.

The group holding the meeting on April 9 at the Palmer Lake VFW to oppose the name change is being organized by Mike Finke, nephew of Sue Finke, and a '87 Henry grad. It is Mike's hope that many Henry grads over several decades will attend to show their support. Everyone who cares about the legacy of Henry, and the pride we had for our experiences there should attend this meeting if possible. Only a show of strong support can stop this in my opinion, because the noise from the other side is loud even if it's only generated from a small group.

I attended the last Henry Foundation board meeting strictly as an observer. At the meeting, Monte Miller gave a very courageous and impassioned presentation opposing the name change. I got choked up. Henry could have no more loyal supporter than Monte. 

However, the Foundation board applied recently for status as a public charity, and as such is currently being evaluated by the government under a probationary status. For that reason, the Foundation must remain neutral on this matter as they cannot be seen as taking a political point of view on this or any other issue. So the Foundation will not be a player in any action to counter the name change campaign. 

One of the possible reasons the name may not be changed is the profound expense involved. The costs include such things as new signage both inside and outside the building, tearing out and replacing the gym floor and repainting over murals and spirit displays, anything that is printed (letterhead, forms, report cards, etc.) new wrestling mats, new uniforms for every sport, new band uniforms, and much more. One former educator who I trust to know about these things estimates the cost at $300,000 plus. Currently the Minneapolis school district is $33M in debt, so authorizing this expense could certainly be questioned. 

I've suggested a compromise concept, speaking only for myself and not on behalf of other alumni or groups of interest. I suggested to the principal a simpler and less expensive way to meet in the middle would be to drop the reference to "Patrick" and simply refer to the school moving forward as "Henry High School." That's not really what I'd personally prefer to see, but again, speaking only for myself, I could live with that. I don't expect that would be warmly considered by those who are seeking the name change however.

The students are holding another rally at the school this Wednesday, March 21. At this point, I don't plan to attend because I'm convinced we will only be lectured to again. I respect their right to their point of view and their passion for their cause, but I don't get a strong feeling they are open to a two-way dialogue.

The process for changing the name is as follows: A "site council" which exists at Henry and chaired by the principal takes this under consideration and makes a recommendation to the superintendent. The superintendent then makes a recommendation to the school board for final approval. My sense is that all actions will take place fairly soon.

That's basically what I know at this point. Feel free to post this if you like.

Dave  (Mrocek)

 

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3/18/2018

Also about this name change for our school -- I understand there is a meeting on April 9th at 6:30 at the Palmer Lake VFW (which I believe is in Brooklyn Park). It is being put on by people that care about keeping the name. The goal is to get as many people there as possible to possibly sign a "petition" or whatever to let people know that there are many of us that don't want the name to change. If you could put something onto the website about the meeting that would be great!
Thanks again and we'll see you at the reunion!
Deb Nevison

(Palmer Lake VFW =  2817 Brookdale Dr)

 

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