OPINION: Obama Elementary Magnet School, ‘gone if not forgotten’

In the Fall of 2017, the Jackson Public School administration and board of trustees took the necessary actions to change what had been Davis Magnet School, named in honor of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, to Barack Obama Magnet Elementary School. The name change became official with the start of the 2018-2019 school year.

As this occurred, although the writer was very proud since his three sons all graduated from there, two things gave him pause: (1) school officials made the change based upon the expressed sentiments of the students, not necessarily their own; and (2) the naming ceremony, the erecting of the signage, and unveiling of the art work were all very low-key affairs. Were the officials worried about the name change given the racist history of Mississippi and the fact that the state is ruby red today when it comes to political matters? Nevertheless, the name change occurred without any public criticism.

Then, in keeping with its tradition, the school was rated A every year thereafter, helping the state to gain national recognition. Barack Obama Magnet Elementary School students continued to be able to have an ideal location from which to study business, government, arts, history, and much more, being within walking distance of so many major institutions. They drew aid and inspiration from their environment. 

Despite these realities, the school administration recommended and the board approved the idea of moving Barack Obama Elementary School to the campus of Northwest Jackson Middle School. The decision caused some residents to speculate there may have been pressure to have the land Barack Obama Magnet Elementary School occupied used for political or business purposes. The result is there would no longer be a school prominently located downtown honoring Barack Obama, America’s first and thus far only African American president.

With the thought of that loss in mind, at least one proposal was made to the board and administration. That proposal was to name the merged schools, Obama Elementary and Middle School – the Obama name would not be lost and each school would be recognized. However, today there is prominent signage for Northwest Middle School on the building and on the front lawn, but no such signage for Barack Obama Magnet Elementary School.

Despite the appearance the July 14th ribbon cutting was all that was going to happen, we will wait to see if the administration and board make other significant adjustments that will communicate to the public there are in fact two schools on that campus, Barack Obama Magnet Elementary School being one of them. 

In meantime, the administration and board should note there is a case wherein two Jackson public schools jointly occupy one campus, Gladys Noel Bates Elementary School and Thomas Cardozo Middle School, in south Jackson. Likewise, in western Hinds County there is Bolton – Edwards Elementary / Middle School as one campus. Both these cases are patterns that could be followed. 

The end of the building housing the elementary students could be indicated by the appropriate signage as Barack Obama Elementary Magnet School and the end housing the middle school students could be indicated by appropriate signage as Northwest Jackson Middle School. Alternatively, the name of the entire facility could be officially changed to Barack Obama Elementary and Middle School.

Although either alternative is acceptable, the latter is the superior and preferred one. Under that scenario only a locational identifier would be lost and the African American president would continue to be recognized. Furthermore, since the facility is just across the highway from the Presidential Hills subdivision, naming it after a president would appropriately build onto that geographical décor.

At this point, Obama Elementary Magnet School is gone as a most successful, historical educational institution in downtown Jackson, just as was the case with Central High School and Saint Joseph Catholic School. At the same time, the Obama name and achievements should not be forgotten by it being merged with Northwest Jackson Middle School as was done with countless Black schools when court-ordered desegregation occurred in the 1970s. 

Everything that is excellent and important in the history of African Americans must not be so easily gone and forgotten. Barack Obama Elementary Magnet School should forever be enabled to proudly stand on its own.