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Fargo board narrows names for new North Side elementary to five; debate over person-based names surfaces
Summary
After reviewing 406 board ranking clicks and student input, the board advanced five names — Prairie Rose, Horseman, Northstar, Martin Luther King Jr., and Unity — for public feedback. Public commenters and some board members clashed over naming for living or divisive figures.
The Fargo Board of Education on Monday advanced five candidate names for the new North Side elementary after a community-driven process that included classroom input and a board force‑matrix ranking.
District staff reported the board’s aggregated ranking from a 406‑click force matrix; the top five were Prairie Rose Elementary (208 votes), Horseman Elementary (200), Northstar Elementary (186), Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary (170), and Unity Elementary (170). The top five will be forwarded for public feedback and will be ranked again at the board’s Nov. 25 meeting, when a final choice is expected.
Students’ voice: Leandra, a staff representative who summarized classroom voting, said nearly 200 third‑grade students helped identify the district’s five consensus picks. “Our students are very wise and they're very compassionate and they're very empathetic,” Leandra said when presenting the student results.
Debate over naming after people: Public commenter Paul Moore urged naming the school after Charlie Kirk, saying Kirk "dedicated his life to empowering young people" and promotes critical thinking. Several board members and community respondents pushed back. Board member Nimal said naming a school after a politically divisive individual could "cause hurt" and noted concerns that the person and associated organizations have "spread misinformation about important topics like elections and public health." Jason urged consideration of Roger Maris as a local figure with strong historical ties and family support for the idea.
Board member Robin, who said she attended Horseman, argued the district should prioritize neighborhood identity and historical continuity, noting Horseman received the most public submissions and urging ways to preserve Madison and Roosevelt identities inside the new building (for example, named rooms) even if a different primary school name is chosen.
Process and next steps: The board did not take a final vote to name the building Monday; instead, members used a ranked-choice force matrix to identify the top five and directed staff to bring the narrowed list forward for additional public feedback and a final selection at a subsequent meeting.
