School District 57’s Trustees have decided: the school will be dual named both Kelly Road Secondary School and Shas Ti Secondary School.
“I understand that the processes that took us here could have been cleaner,” said Board Chair Tim Bennett, acknowledging the controversy around the proposed change.
The importance of maintaining legacy and tradition were reoccurring themes within some of the community statements read aloud, as was the depth of emotional connection felt by some alumni.
“To some, it was part of an identity,” Bennett explained.
However, some believe that some of the emotionally-charged reactions to the proposed potential name change were potentially motivated by racism.
“We feel strongly that some of the feedback is racist,” said Lheidli T’enneh in a letter to the Board.
Trustee Ron Polillo, who recommended the school have the amalgamated name Kelly Road-Shas Ti Secondary, said: “the spirit of this recommendation is compromise.”
“Some people may wonder why Kelly Road is before Shas Ti. That was purposely done,” Polillo explained, acknowledging the results of the Kelly Road engagement survey.
Polillo also said he believed renaming the school as a timely decision, stating: “now is the time, it is 2020.”
“I believe that changing the name to Shas Ti is an appropriate step,” said Bennett who amended Polillo’s recommendation, proposing the school be dual-named as both Shas Ti and Kelly Road, placing the two names on equal footing.
“I have heard the concerns of the Kelly Road community, but I have also heard the concerns of the Lheidli T’enneh, and I don’t think they’re asking for very much,” said Trustee Bob Thompson
“It is very clear that 2/3rds of the respondents were very clear that Kelly Road should remain Kelly Road,” Trustee Sharel Warrington.
Warrington proposed the school retain its name, and remain Kelly Road Secondary School.
Trustee Trent Derrick, who originally proposed the renaming process, spoke on the importance of representing marginalized voices instead of simply representing the majority.
“We aren’t here to satisfy always and make decisions based on today,” he said, adding “the right decisions are often not popular at the time.”
Derrick proposed that the school would be named Shas Ti, while the gymnasium is named Kelly Road Gym.
“It’s the Hart community that has an issue with the name,” said Trustee Shuirose Valimohamed, citing the low student engagement in the online survey.
“We all have memories of our high school years,” said Trustee Betty Bekkering, who believes that the alumni’s memories will not be tarnished by the name change.
Bekkering proposed the school adopt an entirely new name, calling the school Shas Ti, while incorporating aspects of Kelly Road throughout the new facility.
Warrington admitted she believed her motion to retain the existing name would not pass, and supported the motion to dual name the school.
Trustee Thompson also supported both names to please as many people within the district as possible, as did Tim Bennett who said he hoped dual names would be implemented in other schools within the School District.
Ultimately, the decision to dual name the school was passed 4-3.
Kelly Road Secondary School/Shas Ti Secondary School (or Shas Ti Secondary School/Kelly Road Secondary School) is set to open in September.