During the board meeting, member Gloria Carlineo criticized the 2020 decision to remove the Confederate names as flawed, suggesting it ignored the will of the community. WHSV-TV quoted Carlineo stating, “This was not an innocent mistake by some inexperienced school board. No, this was a carefully choreographed advance of a school board alluding to ignore the people they represented.”
The hearing on the name change was a battleground of opposing views. One resident argued against the restoration, claiming it represented a continuation of segregationist and Jim Crow-era policies. Conversely, a supporter of the restoration emphasized the intent of those like Stonewall Jackson, who fought to protect their land and way of life during tumultuous times. She advocated for the names’ restoration as an act of preserving local history.
Chairman Dennis Barlow defended the decision by challenging the prevailing narrative against Confederate figures. He argued that the negative bias stems from a selective reading of history. “People in the Shenandoah Valley say that only the Confederates are the ones who did nasty things, or did nasty things to black people,” Barlow said, as reported by WHSV. “You just stopped reading your history, and you’re not being realistic. War’s hell.”
ALERT! Major Water Restrictions In Effect!
This decision by the Shenandoah County School Board highlights the ongoing national debate over how history should be remembered and taught, particularly regarding figures and symbols associated with the Confederacy. As the community digests this significant change, the dialogue about historical interpretation and its implications continues to evolve.
