Harford County school board votes to rename schools named for slave owners

Mar. 15—The Board of Education of Harford County unanimously voted Monday to rename William Paca/Old Post Road Elementary School and John Archer School after it was pointed out by residents and the NAACP that the existing names had ties to slavery.

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"Environments for student learning, extracurricular activities and other school-sponsored activities shall be designed by the school system as to be equitable, fair, safe, diverse and inclusive," Superintendent Sean Bulson said in a report presented to the board.

"The superintendent and Harford County Public Schools staff believe that maintaining the name of a slave owner as part of a school name is inconsistent with the educational mission of HCPS," said Patrick P. Spicer, legal counsel for the board.

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In June 2020, a petition containing 1,500 signatures was forwarded to the board, asking the superintendent to rename William Paca/Old Post Road Elementary School in Abingdon, according to agenda documents. Since then, several residents have spoken during public comments at board meetings in support of removing Paca's name from the school, according to Spicer, who read from the meeting's agenda documents.

After hearing a student speak on the issue, Vicki Jones, president of the Harford County branch of the NAACP, met with the student and together they requested during a board meeting last summer that William Paca Elementary School be renamed, according to Jones.

William Paca was born in Abingdon in 1740. A signer of the Declaration of Independence, Paca was a federal judge, served in the Maryland legislature and became governor of the state. He also owned more than 100 slaves.

John Archer was a Harford County physician born near Churchville in 1741. He served in the Revolutionary War, held various government positions and served in Congress. He, too, was a slave owner.

William Paca Elementary School was built in 1964 as a second building on the Philadelphia Road campus of Old Post Elementary School, which was built in 1956.

After researching Paca, Towson University removed his name from a student housing building last year, which set off an alarm for Harford's NAACP chapter, Jones said.

Recently, Harford's NAACP leaders met with the Board of Education to formally request name changes for both schools, according to Jones.

Staff from the John Archer School said in public comments Monday that they did not find out about the board's discussion on changing the name until that morning, although the board's agenda with the recommendations was posted on the district's website Friday.

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While many from the school agree with the name change, they were upset that neither the board or administration notified them directly about the change in advance of Monday's meeting.

Bulson apologized for not notifying the John Archer School community, and said many people do not know the history behind those names.

"I think very few people are aware of this part of our history and the connection because when I think of the John Archer School, I do not connect it to the person who John Archer was. I connect it to a building that is one of the most inspiring places I have ever seen when it comes to taking care of children."

John Archer School in Bel Air opened in 1971 and serves students with special needs in grades one through 12 from throughout the county. The school is scheduled to move into a new building in 2026.

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Supporters of the school asked the board to push back a name change decision until the move, citing costs for changing the school's name such as logos and rebranding, which board members and Bulson declined, stating they would not hold off for years on a change that should take place now.

"Harford County was the last county in the state to integrate public schools," Jones said. "I think it is time and imperative that we continue to move in a direction that instills pride and a sense of belonging in all of its [county] residents."

The NAACP hopes the school that this situation will help shine a light on the "ingrained racism" in communities across the country, including Harford County, Jones said.

"Instead of celebrating and memorializing white men who enslaved people who look like almost 60% of the students, let's create a narrative that values and celebrates a more positive imagery for the students and the community," Jones said.

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Board member Jansen Robinson said the board should not just rename the schools but also find ways to educate residents about the county's history.

"To think about all that is happening across the country and in our own backyard, I cannot help but wonder, how do we make the case for not teaching people?" Robinson said. "I support renaming the schools. ... But I think if we only rename the schools, we are not taking advantage of what the moment is allowing us."

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As the board moves forward with the name changes, it should teach people why the names were changed, board member Patrice J. Ricciardi said.

"Changing the names does not change history, and history should not be erased," Ricciardi said. "It should be explained, so everyone understands the impact of these changes and why these changes are being made."

There are no other county schools that have names related to slave owners, according to Spicer.

Archer music teacher Katie Ford also expressed concern that the name change would take place days before the school's 50th anniversary celebration. According to administrative policy, however, the board cannot make a name change until 60 days after the board has made its decision, Spicer said.

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Community members asked the board to hold focus groups or information sessions to allow for input on the new names and time frame for the changes.

"This is just the beginning of a process, not the end of one," Bulson said."