Madison board renames Southside Elementary for educator Laurie Mancari after divided public input

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) Board of Education voted 6–0, with one recusal, on Feb. 24, 2025, to rename Southside Elementary School as Laurie Mancari Elementary School.

The vote followed recommendations from an ad hoc citizen renaming committee and several rounds of community engagement. The committee presented four names ranked after outreach and student input: Southside Community (ranked highest among students), Ada Deer, Laurie Mancari, and 9 Springs. Associate Superintendent Anu Ebi told the board that 77 students participated in the final ranking; in kindergarten through second grade classes were counted as a single vote, which the committee said accounts for 58 students in that cohort.

Board members who supported the motion said the naming would honor a longtime educator whose work left an imprint on the district. "I can definitely support Laurie Mancari for the name of this school," Board member VanderMeel said during the discussion, citing Mancari's impact on students and the community. Board member Simkin moved the motion to adopt the name Laurie Mancari; the motion was seconded and then approved by the board.

Opponents of replacing the Southside name urged the board to preserve continuity for the school community. Asenda Brown, the community schools resource coordinator at Southside Elementary, told the board the name "Southside Community School" reflects the school's identity and would provide stability after recent transitions. Students' rankings had shown Southside Community as the top choice among the pupil respondents, which some board members cited as a complicating factor in their deliberations.

Board members debated the relative weight to give the renaming committee's recommendation, student voice, and staff and family preferences. One board member said they had been "surprised" by the student ranking and that it gave them pause; another said naming a building after an educator creates a lasting lesson for future students about who the community values.

Board discussion also included a procedural clarification: a board member later read the relevant naming policy and said the policy requires a public hearing at least 14 days prior to a naming decision, which constrained the board's ability to add additional name options at that meeting without a policy change.

The formal motion recorded a 6–0 tally in favor with one recusal. The board thanked the renaming committee and community members for their work and said the district would follow up on implementation details.

Why it matters: School names signal community values and history to students and families. The board's decision honors an individual educator while prompting continued concern among some families and students who preferred a name tied to place and continuity.

Next steps: The board did not attach specific implementation dates to the renaming at the meeting; staff and community representatives said logistical details — signage, communications, and any associated costs — would be managed as part of district processes.