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School board to take up elementary name issue

Charlie Koenig on April 22, 2021
The Mathews County School Board honored some of its best classroom professionals this year, presenting Teacher of the Year gift baskets to Patrick Billups (Elementary School in Mathews), Jason Williams (Thomas Hunter Middle School) and Randy Applegate (Mathews High School). The three received gift baskets filled with gifts from a number of community businesses and individuals. The three are shown with their principals, from left, Billups with principal Alexis Foster; Williams with principal Laurel Byrd, and Applegate with principal Drew Greve.

The Mathews County School Board is expected to vote next month on a new name for the county’s elementary school.Board chairman John Priest indicated that the matter will be taken up at the May 18 meeting in response to a question posed by Mary Sampson of Foster during the public comment period at the start of Tuesday’s monthly meeting, which was held in the Harry M. Ward Auditorium at Mathews High School.

Sampson, speaking on behalf of the Mathews Branch NAACP, asked when the board planned to revisit the issue. Calling last August’s move to take down the name Lee-Jackson Elementary “a courageous decision,” she asked when the building will have a new name.

She said that the NAACP has raised more than $14,000 to help with costs associated with a new name (for signage, stationery, etc.). Some of that money, she said, has already gone to reimburse the division for removal of the Lee-Jackson name and its replacement with temporary “Welcome to Tiger Territory” signage.

Priest said ...

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