Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I am shocked and saddened, but not surprised, that the Mathews School Board succumbed to bullying and intimidation by the NAACP and the Black Panthers regarding the name change of the elementary school in Mathews.

On a daily basis, teachers and administrators are forced to handle cases of bullying among their students while every effort is taken to teach proper behavior. Yet, our very own school board leadership allowed themselves to be bullied while sending the message that it’s okay if it gets the results you want.

Generals Lee and Jackson are as “relevant” to some of our students are Thomas Hunter is to others. To quote school board member Desmond Smith, “if it offends one student it should offend every student.” Why the double standard? It is pitiful that our school leadership feels that bullying and intimidation is acceptable. What is that teaching our youth, not to mention the message sent to the citizens of Mathews?

Many years ago, Virginia ...