SLUSD Board Of Trustees Approves Renaming Wilson School

SAN LEANDRO, CA —The San Leandro Unified School District (SLUSD) Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved the removal of President Woodrow Wilson's name from Wilson Elementary School, due to Wilson's "documented history of racist and segregationist policies and practices."

Trustees voted 4-1 in favor of the removal with two abstentions. The student board representative to the school board also voted in favor of renaming the school, officials said.

The request to rename the school began in June 2020 with a petition to district leadership from Wilson staff and community members. The petition, which was signed by 75 percent of school staff and parent groups, highlighted the "disconnect" between Wilson's policies and "SLUSD goals for equity and inclusion."

Feedback about about removing Wilson's name was solicited from staff, families and alumni in the San Leandro community through surveys and public forums.

"I want to thank all members of our community, both at Wilson Elementary and throughout San Leandro, for their active participation in considering this proposal from all perspectives," SLUSD School Board President Evelyn Gonzalez said in a statement. "It was incredibly helpful to have a wide variety of viewpoints on this issue to consider in making this important decision."

According to the district, more details about the process to select a new school name will be made available over the next two months.