If you’re thinking the new Guelph high school will bear the name of an influential Guelphite, think again.
The Upper Grand District School Board is reviewing its policy around naming of schools and board sites. It’s up for review; the last review was in 2020. The policy’s revision includes a section where the names of schools, board facilities and designated areas do not include the name of people or corporations. This also goes for existing names that may be changed.
“If you think of some of the larger institutions and some of the issues around naming and what we know around historical legacies related to colonialism, it was really appropriate to think about how we need to consider human rights in our naming policy through a human rights lens,” said Alicia Ralph, UGDSB human rights, equity and accessibility commissioner, in an interview.
Ralph pointed out policies and other work in the board are also looked at through a human rights lens.
The board voted in favour of revising the policy at the end of last month, with direction to go out for public consultation for 30 days. An online survey has been posted to gain feedback until Dec. 26.
The policy would go back to the board after consultation either Jan. 14 or Feb. 25.
In the policy considerations for naming buildings after people, a person's actions or beliefs may be brought to light as controversial and behaviours may not meet present-day values. Some names may not be representative of marginalized groups. Names may blur the line between honouring legacy and recognizing people's achievements
Before the recommendation of the policy going out for public consultation came to the board, the policy was discussed at a policy and priorities committee meeting Nov. 5. Trustee Alethia O’Hara-Stephson asked if an education component would be part of it if a school is renamed – her concern is about erasing history and it potentially causing harm.
Since renaming would take time, an educational component could work as part of the transitional process while a new name is chosen, Ralph said during the meeting.
It’s envisioned as more than just a signaling exercise. Whether a name changes or remains “... the work does happen in the school community in regards to ensuring that we’re understanding sort of the impact of historical names and really focusing on that education component,” said Ralph, in an interview. “The policy doesn’t mean we’re in an exercise of erasing names.”
In some cases a name might stay and work happens in the school community to understand the impact of historical names, Ralph said.
With any policy there are always going to be people who don't agree with the direction the policy goes in “because it might mean changes to historical ways of doing things,” she said.
Getting feedback for the policy is a way to engage the broader community to understand the impact of their experiences accessing the board’s facilities.
Last year, 33 former UGDSB members and other educational professionals asked the current board to consider renaming its administrative office on Victoria Road to the Martha Rogers Education Centre.
Rogers was the former director of the UGDSB for 26 years and retired on Sept. 1, 2021. Shortly after retiring she passed away at age 73.
There was a UGDSB committee formed near the beginning of the year to honour Rogers. In October, it was given an extension for its work and recommendations with a report are expected by the end of April.
Schools and facilities not being named after people is not unique to UGDSB. Other boards are moving away from individual names through the same processes, said Ralph.
She is looking forward to the naming process for the new Guelph high school and the timing is right for this policy to support the process.
