FDC, Naming of Facilities

The Orleans Parish School Board believes all schools should be welcoming, inclusive, and inspiring places for all students, and desires to ensure that the names of our school facilities and the people that we honor through naming reflect the values of the school district. The School Board is fundamentally opposed to retaining names of school facilities named for persons who were slave owners, confederate officials and segregation supporters.

The Orleans Parish School Board shall have sole authority to name or rename any school facility (i.e, school campuses, individual buildings, athletic fields, stadiums, gymnasiums, libraries, fields, tracks, and multipurpose rooms) private drive, or street it owns. No school facility or other public building or facility shall be named in honor of any living person. However, a street that is maintained by the School Board and that is not a state or federal highway, or any existing athletic facilities at a school within the School Board’s jurisdiction may be named in honor of a living person.

If a school program of a different name than that of the facility is assigned to the facility, an ancillary sign or marker may be erected which reflects the name of that school program. In no instance shall the existing school facility name be removed, unless the facility has been renamed by the School Board.

Have made substantial contributions to his/her field of endeavor or to society in general; or,
When possible, have had some significant connection with the school, either as a student, an alumnus, a faculty member, an administrator, a donor, or a supporter; or,
Have made significant contributions to the development of the Orleans Parish school system or to the State of Louisiana in education, the arts, public life, or some other appropriate field of endeavor;
In any event, the individual must have been of such outstanding character and distinction that naming a school facility, private drive or street after him/her would honor the school district as well as the individual and would provide educational or motivational value to the students served at the school.

All requests for naming or renaming school facilities, private drives or streets shall be submitted to the Superintendent in writing.

If the request is made to name a school facility, private drive or street in honor of an individual, the request shall include a biography that conforms to the above-stated criteria, as well as copies of independent personal or professional references when available.

In anticipation of naming a school facility, private drive or street, the Superintendent shall appoint a committee. The committee shall include representatives from the community in which the school facility, private drive or street is located, employees of the school system and a member of the School Board. The School Board member shall be appointed by the School Board President.

The committee shall publicly solicit feedback on any proposed names and solicit nominations of potential names to be submitted in writing via electronic mail, U.S. mail, and the School Board’s website for a period of not less than 45 days. The committee shall then hold no less than two (2) public meetings to receive additional public comment and conduct its deliberations. In the event there are more than three (3) names submitted for a facility, the committee shall narrow the list of names for consideration to three (3) and without the assignment of priority, submit the three (3) names to the Superintendent. If three (3) names or less are submitted, the committee shall forward all of the names to the Superintendent, and the committee may assign priority to one if it chooses. The Superintendent shall then recommend a name to the School Board for approval.

In addition to the above, prior to the naming of a drive or street, the School Board shall ascertain whether the drive or street is entirely private property, i.e., property owned by the School Board, which has not otherwise been dedicated or become a public street or drive by operation of law. In the event that the drive or street, or any part thereof, is public or may have become public property, the School Board may, at its discretion, petition the appropriate governing authority for such naming.