• The Final Four- the Name Change at HS 1327/Drake continues. March 5, 2021



    The Drake Leadership Council (DLC), our school site council, is charged with selecting and recommending a name to the TUHSD superintendent under TUHSD board policy 7310. Board Policy states the DLC makes the recommendation to the TUHSD Superintendent, after they ‘confer’ with student, staff and community groups. This body has spent the past seven months discussing school values, listening to different groups, developing a process, and vetting possible names by using our adopted Guiding Principles. Once the team narrowed the over 500 names down to 79, the four constituent groups, staff, students, parents , and community,  participated in providing their top three choices of the 79 to provide for our top nine names moving forward.  The input on the nine names began on February 25th and ran until March 3rd. The Small Learning Communities developed a ‘Voter Information Guide’ for people to learn about the names, their ideas for possible mascots, and other information. The Final Four names were adopted last night by the DLC and will move forward for input on March 10th. The final four include: Awani-wi, Bon Tempe, Creekside, and Olema Trail. The condensed version of the Voter Guide is here. Information on the vote will be emailed for our staff, students, and parents. Our Community members may find their information on our Community Tab- Name Change section of our website. 

     

    Information on the Process and DLC Decision to Not Consider ‘San Anselmo’

     

    At the March 4, 2021 DLC meeting, the members of the council voted to remove ‘San Anselmo’ from the name selection process.  This process, shared here, outlines the steps the DLC planned, as of January 2021.  There is a part of this process that provides for changes to be made to the process as the council  progresses forward. On February 11, 2021, the DLC discussed several of the names that received strong consideration  but had concerns raised regarding the guiding principles that we had not caught earlier in the vetting process. At that time there were several names on the list and the DLC decided to let the nine move forward and that the process could be reconsidered at each step. On March 4, 2021, the DLC considered the different names again and ‘San Anselmo’ had several concerns (see below for concerns about ‘San Anselmo’). The DLC considered a motion and second to eliminate ‘San Anselmo’ from the list.  This motion was discussed and approved by majority vote. THe DLC agreed to meet again on March 18, 2021, to check the process at that time as they head into the top two names to be considered.  Minutes from the March 4, 2021, DLC meeting will be approved at the March 18th meeting and posted for review. The DLC meetings are not recorded because of student participation. 

     

    Information on the Decision Not to Consider ‘San Anselmo’

     

    At the February 11, 2021 meeting, the DLC members shared concerns about ‘San Anselmo’ that they had or that they had heard from the community. There were also concerns shared about Redhill, Ross Valley, George Lucas, and others. At that time, the DLC voted to retain all names for the next round and would consider this issue again after the nine were considered. Once the final four was figured, the name ‘San Anselmo’ had made it and the DLC revisited their concerns again. These concerns include:

    • The students enrolled in the school come from a variety of municipalities and communities. Only one of those is San Anselmo. This name is not inclusive of all students who attend the school. This was the main concern of some DLC members
    • The name St./San Anselmo/Anselms has two possible historical backgrounds;  both raised concerns with some members of the DLC. 
      • St. Anselm has roots in the Catholic faith; as a public school we are not allowed to align with any particular faith.
      • Anselmo may have been a Coast Miwok member who the white colonists added the name “St.” to, as was common for the time period. 
    • Overall religious undertones of the name was a concern from some members.
    • The shared name with St. Anselm’s School was a concern from some members.

     

    After discussion, the DLC members motioned, seconded and voted to remove ‘San Anselmo’ from the considerations. Bon Tempe was next on the list and the motion included the addition of this name. 

     

    Questions or Concerns:

    If there are questions that you have, please contact Liz Seabury, Principal at lseabury@tamdistrict. Org

     

    If you would like to email the DLC your concern, please send the email to Jolie Jacobs. She will provide the emails to the members of the DLC.