Construction committee opts for commemorative plaque for James Hooks planetarium; full renaming to go to board

The Robeson County Schools construction committee voted to place a commemorative plaque honoring James Hooks at the district planetarium rather than rename the entire facility, a committee member said during the meeting.

A presenter explained that a community group had submitted the required documentation under district policy 93-100 to request naming a facility after an individual. "I make a recommendation that we move forward with presenting to the full board that we rename the planetarium the James Hooks Planetarium," one committee member said; in the committee discussion another member argued a plaque would preserve flexibility to honor others in the future.

After debate, the committee approved a motion to place a plaque instead of renaming the planetarium; the committee recorded the vote as passing 3 to 1. Committee membership listed at the time included the chair, Vonte Leach, Crystal Monroe and Crystal Fields. Committee members and staff clarified the construction committee’s action will be forwarded as a recommendation to the full board, which must vote yes or no on the naming recommendation. If the full board rejects a recommendation, the transcript records the option for another motion to be made at that meeting or the item to return to committee.

The committee handled a similar choice for the new Robinson Career and Technical Center the same day, voting to place internal plaques for honorees and leaving a full renaming decision on the committee docket for possible later action.

The committee did not record individual yes/no votes by name in the transcript; the motion’s outcome as reported by the chair was 3–1 in favor of the plaque. The next procedural step for the planetarium naming is action by the full school board.