A New Jersey high school will remove President Woodrow Wilson from its name over complaints it perpetuates racism.
The Camden School District voted on the decision 18 months ago, but due to COVID-19 priorities, the process to pick a new name had been postponed until now.
High contenders to have the school named after them include former President Barack Obama, late civil rights activist and Representative John Lewis, and a superintendent who recently passed away.
Initially, a 100-members committee composed of parents and school officials had been chosen to complete the task, but the district informed that the process will start anew with a 10-person committee, NJ.com reported.
Woodrow, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, once governor of New Jersey and the 28th president of the United States, led the country into war to 'make the world safe for democracy.'
However, upon reexamination of his legacy after 2020's summer of racial unrest, he has been heavily criticized for promoting the Klu Klux Klan and Confederacy sentiments, and racially re-segregating the federal civil service.
The school has borne his name since its establishment, 90 years ago.
The Camden School District voted to change the name of Woodrow Wilson High School last year, but due to COVID-19 priorities, the process was postponed to October 26
Woodrow, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, once governor of New Jersey and the 28th president of the United States, has been heavily criticized for promoting the Klu Klux Klan and Confederacy sentiments, and racially re-segregating the federal civil service
High contenders to have the school named after them include former President Barack Obama (left), late civil rights activist and Representative John Lewis (right), and a superintendent who recently passed away
A Change.org petition started almost three years ago demanded the change, but it was not until the country found itself in a national debate on statues honoring Confederacy and racist figures, that the district decided to vote on the measure.
'After years of examining the legacy of former US President Woodrow Wilson, we have come to see that his views and actions contradict the values and diversity we see in Woodrow Wilson High School today as well as the society we live in Camden NJ;' the petition stated.
In a statement to NJ.com, the school
