J. E. B. Stuart High School

Coordinates: 38°51′24.49″N 77°8′58.1″W / 38.8568028°N 77.149472°W / 38.8568028; -77.149472

J. E. B. Stuart High School
Address
J. E. B. Stuart High School Show map of Bailey%27s Crossroads J. E. B. Stuart High School Show map of Northern Virginia J. E. B. Stuart High School Show map of Virginia J. E. B. Stuart High School Show map of the US
3301 Peace Valley Lane Falls Church, Virginia 22044
Information
School type	Public, high school
Founded	1959
School district	Fairfax County Public Schools
Principal	Penny Gros
Staff	approximately 180
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	1,985 (2016)
Language	English
Campus	Suburban
Color(s)	Red, white, and blue
Mascot	Raiders
Feeder schools	Glasgow Middle School Poe Middle School
Rival schools	Falls Church High School
Athletic conferences	National District Northern Region
Website	http://www.fcps.edu/StuartHS

J.E.B. Stuart High School is a high school in Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia named for Confederate cavalry leader J.E.B. Stuart. The school is part of the Fairfax County Public Schools district. The school has a Falls Church address but is not located within the city limits of the City of Falls Church.

History

At the time the school opened, the Fairfax County school board opposed racial integration of its schools, and the name reflected the school board's sentiments.^[1]

In the School Board meeting minutes of 5/20/1958,^[2] Lee High School was simply named "Lee" for the Lee district. The battle for the school name began on Dec 7th 1954,^[2] three years before construction had started...and three and a half years before the school was opened. Numerous articles spoke to the acrimony in the communities of Franconia and Springfield who both wanted to claim the school name for their community. ^[3]

This school was located on Franconia Rd, on the border of Franconia and Springfield, the area had a Springfield address, and it was in the Lee district of Virginia.

In Feb 4th 1958 Meeting^[2] a local historical group suggested a compromise. The Upper Pohick Community League^[4] submitted a letter proposing that the School Board adopt a policy naming Fairfax County schools for prominent Virginians instead of by place names and that the Franconia High School be renamed something like "Fitzhugh, Lee, etc."

Fitzhugh Lee^[5][6] was suggested because he was born at the Clermont estate. ^[7] Clermont elementary school is about 4 miles away.

In the May 6th 1958 meeting,^[2] Mr. Solomon made a motion that all future new high schools in Fairfax County be named for some prominent American, now deceased. Mr. Solomon qualified it by stating that the "Franconia H. S." is not to be included in this motion, just those under construction, or proposed. Therefore, a place name was needed for this school. Fortunately both communities were in the Lee district of Virginia and a compromise was reached on a place name.

In a May 8, 1958 article in the Washington Post Mr. Woodson said ..."he is surprised and disappointed that we have this type of controversy among adults. I don't want the children coming to this school saying I'm from Springfield…I'm from Franconia…let's fight. Gangs tend to develop in communities where there is controversy. "^[8] In a Northern Virginia Sun article dated October 8, 1958, Mr. Davis School Board member states …."He'd rather name a school Podunk then get into the battle like was over Lee High school." The article further notes that the name JEB Stuart was chosen because he had his headquarters on Munson Hill, the site of the school. "^[9]

The naming of High Schools in order were Lee, (for the Lee district, May 1958) Jeb Stuart and James Madison (same meeting, Oct 7 1958) Thomas Edison, George Marshall, and W.T. Woodson in 1960, Thomas Jefferson in 1962. In addition nine intermediate schools were named by the exact same School Board in May 1959. Among those school names were John G. Whittier and Henry Thoreau.^[2] Fifteen schools were named and only one was for a Confederate General. In 1963 Lee was renamed at the request of the SPTA. (SB minutes 7/16/63). That was six years later.^[2]

Regarding Fairfax County's reaction to Brown: It was not Fairfax County's choice either before or after 1954. Fairfax County Schools like most Southern Schools were under De jure segregation. After the Brown VS Board of education decision Daniel Duke^[10] who authored Education Empire wrote: "Whether local school systems such as Fairfax County left to their own, would have moved forward to implement desegregation in the late 50's will never be known. Richmond removed any possibility of local option."^[11] it was recognized in court cases that it was the state who was running the show, not the county. They didn't have a choice.^[12] In the Virginia General Assembly: Delegates from Northern Virginia openly opposed the Stanley plans as well as calls for even more radical legislation. Virginia's 10th district was the only congressional district to vote against the Gray Plan.^[13]

Munson Hill was steeped in Civil War history. JEB Stuart was named for JEB Stuart because it is believed his camp extended to the area where the school is located. Stuart's was famous for his Munson Hill Quaker Gun's deception.^[14] The battle fought at Manassas in 1861, the first major engagement of the war, ended chaotically. Union troops streamed back toward the Potomac, many wounded. A home on Munson Hill, Church Hill House,^[15] was seized for use as a field hospital, and the dead were buried nearby. Tradition has the military cemetery lying beneath the football field at J.E.B. Stuart High School. The Confederates soon took the high ground in the surge and retreat of armies, and it's likely the dead from both sides now lie together in the ultimate reconciliation.^[16]

Reported on Sept 25th 1861 in the New York Times: We have wars and rumors of wars to-day, and victories, to-night, in the corridors of the hotels that would be important if true. The most noted exploit was the reported taking of Munson's Hill, by a Brigade headed by SMITH, which was said to have been done without so much as the wounding of one loyal citizen. Unfortunately the story would not bear sifting, or when it was sifted there was nothing left except the rebels in full possession of the Hill, the rebel flag in plain sight from the White House, and our troops quiet in their camps, practicing for to-morrow's fasting and prayer.^[17]

In 1997 the school had one computer for every eight students, which changed to one computer for every 1.8 students in 2003. ^[18]:129 The school has been featured in National Geographic magazine,^[19] and has received national recognition by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the International Baccalaureate program. President George W. Bush chose to speak there about education during the 2004-2005 school year.

In 2006, then-principal Mel Riddile, former director Straight, Inc., drug rehabilitation program for teens,^[20] was chosen as the principal of the year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.^[21] Riddile moved to T. C. Williams High School in neighboring Alexandria City at the end of the 05-06 school year. Assistant Principal Pamela Jones took his place and retired in 2012. The current principal is Penny Gros.

Veteran math department chair Stu Singer retired in protest when Stuart administrators dismantled a remedial math program that had given Stuart the highest pass rate in the county. Singer later published a book on the program.^[22] Singer labeled the dismantling of this program "education malpractice that can only be described as unconscionable." Math scores plummeted after the reorganization.^[23] Other successful programs were also dismantled. Faculty morale fell to the lowest in the county, and many teachers retired or transferred out in protest.^[24] In 2014, the district sent a support team to Stuart to help the beleaguered administration.^[25]

In 2000, the school's music department began to gain prominence, being named a Blue Ribbon School for music by the Virginia Music Educators Association in 2003, 2006, and 2008. The school's band was named a Virginia Honor Band by the Virginia Band & Orchestra Directors Association in 2000, 2004, and 2006-2009. The band commissioned composer John Mackey to write a piece, which the band premiered on May 8, 2009 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the school. The school's top choir, the Madrigal Chamber Singers, were selected to perform at the Virginia Music Educators Association's annual conference in 2006 and 2008. Stuart has also hosted District X Band auditions annually since 2004, hosted the District X Orchestra event in 2005, and hosted Senior Regional Orchestra Auditions in 2007 and 2008.

On April 22, 2015, Fairfax County Superintendent of Schools Karen Garza named Penny Gros as principal of Stuart High School. Penny Gros had previously been the principal of Glasgow Middle School, the middle school for the Stuart High School Pyramid.

Name Controversy and Protest

In June 2015, alumni and students of the school began a petition asking that the name of the school be changed, alleging that it was named after J. E. B. Stuart amid massive resistance to the desegregation of public schools after Brown v. Board of Education.^[26] The petition included serious allegations, stated as fact, which called into question the motivations of the 1958 School Board members and Superintendent W.T. Woodson. That petition called for the removal of 3 high school names, JEB Stuart, R.E. Lee and W.T. Woodson^[27] The petition asked that the school be renamed after Thurgood Marshall. Alumni and actress Julianne Moore and producer Bruce Cohen added their support in August 2015 with a separate petition, which eventually received over 35,000 signatures.^[28]

The school board took surveys of the school students^[29] and the community separately.^[30] In both surveys, only a small fraction of students or community members expressed their views. While the majority of those responding did not favor changing the name, over 35% of the respondents supported a name change, and others argued that the surveys did not reach all of the desired participants or remain open for a sufficient period.^[31]

Some students have expressed the opinion that the discussion relating to the potential name change has been more disruptive and caused more harm than was ever done by the name JEB Stuart. Students who disagree with the renaming campaign report being labeled as racist by student advocates. In comparison, students who agree with the name change believe that a different name could be chosen to better serve the values of the Stuart community.^[32] Some of these students have also testified before the School Board about the racism they experience at the school and the unease they feel as minority students attending a school named after a Confederate General who sought to preserve the institution of slavery.^[33] Others expressed concern that there is already a Marshall High School in the same school district, and that adding a second "Marshall High School" would cause unnecessary confusion.^[34] Another suggested name is that of Barbara Rose Johns.^[35]

The issue received sufficient attention that, in December 2015, the Fairfax County School Board revised its policy to allow for the renaming of existing schools.^[36] In July 2016, the Fairfax County Public Schools Board voted to set up a working group to "further consider the community concerns regarding renaming" the school. The work of the Ad Hoc Committee to the School Board was completed in May 2017.^[37]

Subsequently, on July 27th, 2017, the Fairfax County School Board voted by a 7-2 margin, with two abstentions, to change the name of J.E.B. Stuart High no later than the beginning of the 2019 school year.

Demographics

In 2001 the school had "one of the most ethnically diverse student populations in the country."^[38] In September 2015 the student body was 50.3% Hispanic/Latino (any race), 23.4% White, 13.6% Asian, 10.1% Black/African American, 2.4% two or more races, and 0.2% American Indian/Alaska Native.^[39]

Notable alumni

• Bruce Cohen, Academy Award-winning film producer^[40]
• Charlie Garner, Class of 1990, NFL running back, played on the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, and Oakland Raiders. Starred in College at the University of Tennessee^[41]
• Drummer John Hartman of the Doobie Brothers^[42]
• Julianne Moore, Oscar-winning actress, attended J.E.B. Stuart 1975-77^[43]
• Penny Moore, Class of 1987, WNBA, Washington Mystics.^[44]
• Jim O'Brien, a professional athlete who played in the American Basketball Association.^[45]
• Esam Omeish, Former President of the Muslim American Society^[46]
• Dave Pruiksma, Supervising Animator, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Oliver & Company, The Hunchback of Notre Dame.^[47]
• Tom Shadyac, Director, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Liar Liar, Patch Adams, The Nutty Professor, Bruce Almighty, Evan Almighty^[48]
• Franz Stahl, Foo Fighters band member 1997-1999^[49]:80

References

External links

• JEB Stuart Basketball site
• JEB Stuart Official Web Site
• Raider Sports Website
• JEB Stuart Alumni Association
• The Raiders Digest Newspaper
• Vmea.com
• Raiderband.org
• Vboda.org
• Ostimusic.com