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Glen Rock board approves renaming Central School for Tuskegee airman Thomas L. Hawkins
Summary
After public support and multiweek review, the Glen Rock Board of Education voted to add Thomas L. Hawkinsto Central School's name; board members urged fundraising to cover costs while some pushed for broader recognition beyond a name change.
The Glen Rock Board of Education voted June 8 to rename Central School as Thomas L. Hawkins Central School, a move supporters said honors a local graduate and Tuskegee airman whose story many in the community said had been overlooked.
The decision followed a public-comment period in which residents and alumni urged the board to act. "I would hope that you would do that unanimously," said Brian Jackson, who described his long ties to Central School and urged the board to complete the renaming that community surveys showed had broad support.
Board members debated the form the recognition should take. Some members said the community should raise funds to cover the cost of signage and other changes so that taxpayer dollars are not spent. "I expect that the cost will be covered by donations and not by the taxpayers," one board member said during the debate.
Others supported a more symbolic or curricular acknowledgment in addition to the name change. One board member said the district should consider curricular materials and public programming to explain Hawkinslegacy so students understand why the name was chosen.
The motion passed on a roll-call vote. The board recorded largely affirmative votes; the meeting record shows the motion was carried and the board instructed administrators and community volunteers to follow up on fundraising and implementation details.
The action came after several weeks of discussion and a committee process that addressed naming policy and community input. The board president said the district would work with parents and local groups to develop a plan for implementing the change in time for the new school year.
Next steps include confirming the timeline and estimated costs for signage and communications and coordinating fundraising with the Home and School Association and community donors. The board said it expects to return to the subject with a plan for implementation and cost coverage.
