A petition is making the rounds to get support for changing the name of Burke High School.
Recent Burke High School grad Grace Loux organized the petition campaign to rename the high school where she graduated. She says she’s sure there will be many alumni who will want their school name to remain the same, but she’s starting a petition to change it.
Grace tells 6 News that after reading an on-line article on Harry A. Burke she thought a name change was necessary. “Harry A. Burke had multiple accounts of saying things like I never want a black educator, I would never want black people in a position of power where white children would be educated."
The high school was dedicated to Harry A. Burke in November of 1967, Burke served as OPS superintendent from 1946 to 1962. Not only does the high school bear the name of Harry Burke, but the street in front of the school is also named after the former OPS superintendent
This isn’t the first time that Burke High School students talked about renaming the school. Just last year, the school’s student newspaper called for the removal of Harry Burke’s name from the high school.
Edouardo Zendejas lives in the neighborhood surrounding Burke High, he agrees with the idea of changing the name of the school. “Done a little research about what is Burke High School, who they named it after. After doing a little research I thought I wonder if that name would survive if they actually knew some of the histories,” said Zendeias.
The Omaha Public School distinct released a statement on the issue. Part of the statement reads, “We are currently creating spaces for students to come together to talk, where we will listen to their thoughts on current events and their experiences in our community.”
Right now, Grace has close to 400 signatures. She plans to gather more and present the petition to the OPS Board of Education.
The petition suggests that officials name Burke High after current OPS superintendent Cheryl Logan. There was also a suggestion to name the school after Lucinda Gamble, one of the first African American teachers in OPS.