Schools

Committee: 'Portola Middle School Should be Renamed After Fred T. Korematsu'

The Committee on Renaming Portola Middle School met last night to make a recommendation.

Information submitted by West Contra Costa Unified School District:

Portola Middle School should be renamed after Fred T. Korematsu, the committee charged with evaluating a possible name change for the school announced on Tuesday night.

The Committee on Renaming Portola Middle School voted unanimously to rename the middle school located in El Cerrito after the Japanese civil rights legend who refused orders to report to an internment camp during World War II.

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“I want to thank the community for its participation in this process,” Board of Education President and committee member Charles Ramsey said. “I am excited that we have a chance to have this name as a legacy.”

Tuesday night’s meeting, held at Stege Elementary School in Richmond, was the fourth and final public hearing for the committee.

Find out what's happening in El Cerritowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The WCCUSD Board of Education is scheduled to hear the item at its next meeting, which will take place on Wednesday, July 9, at 6:30 p.m. at DeJean Middle School. DeJean is located at 3400 Macdonald Ave., Richmond, CA.

Korematsu was arrested and convicted for defying the internment order. On appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld his conviction. In 1983, the case was overturned in U.S. District Court and President Bill Clinton later awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. After 9/11, Korematsu spoke out to protect the civil rights of Muslim inmates and U.S. citizens.

Portola Middle School is currently housed in portable buildings as its new campus is being built on Donal Avenue, four blocks away from its original location on Navellier Street between Moeser Lane and Portola Drive.


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