JCM alumni react to renaming of Early College High
Alumni of the high school say they're still not sure Vision 20/20 was the best for the city.
JACKSON, Tenn. — The Jackson-Madison County School Board met Thursday night to discuss the implementation of Vision 2020.
Administrators already have received their placements for next school year, and new teaching assignments will soon follow.
“Everyone that works with us that currently has a position will have a position for 2016-17,” said Jackson-Madison County School System Superintendent Dr. Verna Ruffin.
After December’s vote, Jackson Central-Merry High will be one of five schools impacted by the changes. The school will be renamed Jackson Central-Merry Early College High, housing the early college program. JCM Alumni Association President Cory Vann says keeping the name is the district adding insult to injury.
“We didn’t fight all this time and march and protest and do everything that we did for the name of a building,” Vann said. “It could have been named ‘Lane Street High School.’ It’s not about a name — it’s about the purpose that it served in our community.”
Vann says although the concept of Early College High and other magnet programs are great, most inner-city children don’t qualify to attend the school in their own neighborhood.
“So unfortunately, this quality education this county is building up is only for a select group of kids,” Vann said. “It leaves out and disenfranchises too many children.”
“None of us are believing this is an immediate result,” Dr. Ruffin said. “But we do believe, very strongly, that this is going to be very powerful.”
