Rename Polk

Please help us change the inappropriate school names and mascots by completing this survey

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/58YRX5W

Click here for more information about the inappropriate school names and mascots.

You can also support us by signing our Change.org petition at: https://chng.it/QQbc86ySkg

James K. Polk does not represent the ideals of our school district. He used Manifest Destiny, the idea that some people are superior and more deserving based on the color of their skin, to wage an unjust war and steal land from Mexicans and Indigenous. He also owned slaves and opposed abolition. Having my school named after Polk makes me feel unwelcome and disgusted. There are plenty of honorable people of color who have done great things for our community who should be honored instead. Central Unified should do what is right and stop celebrating a person who is not a role model for our community. Central Unified's student body is 85% students of color. It is time to celebrate a person of color by naming my school after someone like Maria Moreno who was the first woman farm laborer to be hired as a union organizer. When we see people like us being celebrated, it makes us feel like we can accomplish great things. We should change the mascot to the axolotls, an amphibian known for its ability to regenerate body parts. This encourages us to seek continuous growth, promotes healing, and will help raise awareness about their endangered status.

The committee to study school names and mascots is gathering information through community input sessions and a community survey (Click here for more info). If you cannot make it to a community input session, please complete the survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/58YRX5W