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Community member tells board hate groups monitor debate over James Blair Middle School name; urges broader engagement
Summary
A community speaker asked the board to expand engagement beyond surveys on the James Blair Middle School naming discussion, warned that hate groups monitor the debate, and criticized critics of providing pizza lunches to students.
During public comment, Jamila Walker addressed the board and urged broader public engagement on the discussion over changing the name of James Blair Middle School. Walker said hate groups are observing the board’s actions and highlighted the limits of relying solely on surveys for community input, arguing that surveys allow some community members to hide behind anonymous responses.
Walker also referenced a prior remark about students receiving Domino’s pizza for lunch and questioned whether the division was at a point of opposing efforts to "feed children," calling the debate over small comforts for students "disheartening." She closed by urging the board to consider who supports its decisions and the broader implications for the community.
Her remarks were made during the public comment portion of the meeting and were not acted on during the session.
