It’s a shame something as American as apple pie should prove so controversial (photo by Lia Chang).
KTVU is reporting that a proposal to rename a middle school east of San Francisco in honor of civil rights pioneer Fred Korematsu is meeting with opposition.
A decision was expected by the El Cerrito School board last week, but instead they formed a renaming committee to further look into the idea.
“This is a big deal. We don’t get the opportunity to change names,” said Board President Charles Ramsey who supports the idea.
One woman came close to tears last night urging the board to move forward saying it would mean a lot to children such as her daughter.
“She knows who Fred Korematsu is and she thinks it would be a good idea to name her old school after him. I urge you to do so,” said Joanna Pace of El Cerrito.
Korematsu received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998. He openly resisted going to an incarceration camp during World War II and his case reached all the way to the US Supreme Court.
Opponents say there are other civil rights leaders more worthy of the honor and that the school should be named after someone local.
What do you think?