Jefferson Middle School Renaming Process

Proposal Criteria

Per School Board Policy (6700), the public has a minimum 30-day window to submit proposals that meet the following criteria. 

1. What individuals/groups are proposing the name? What is the proposed name?
2. Madison Metropolitan School District schools may be named after a prominent national or local figure who is deceased, a locally significant geographical site, a place of local significance, or an idea or concept which represents a broadly respected civic virtue. Into which of these categories does the proposed name fall?
3. If the proposed name is a prominent local or national figure who is deceased, describe why this person is considered prominent. “Prominent” is defined as “widely and popularly known.”
4. If the proposed name is a prominent local or national figure who is deceased, what is the significance of the person specifically to the Madison Metropolitan School District that it should choose to name a school for this particular person over others of similar prominence?
5. If the proposed name is a locally significant geographical site or a place of local significance, what is the significance to the Madison Metropolitan School District? For what reason would the Madison Metropolitan School District choose to name a building for this particular geographical site or place of local significance?
6. If the proposed name is an idea or concept which is a broadly respected community value, what is the significance of this idea or concept to the Madison Metropolitan School District? For what reason would the Madison Metropolitan School District choose to name a building for this particular idea or concept? 

The window for submitting proposals closed on April 8, 2022.
 

Into which of these categories does the proposed name fall?
Prominent national or local figure who is deceased; Idea or concept which represents a broadly respected civic virtue

If the proposed name is a prominent local or national figure who is deceased, describe why this person is considered prominent. “Prominent” is defined as “widely and popularly known.”
Mr. Gillespie was born enslaved and became a civil rights pioneer in the state of Wisconsin when he sued the state for the right to vote, via Gillespie v. Palmer 1866 which ultimately granted the rights for Blacks to vote here in the state.

If the proposed name is a prominent local or national figure who is deceased, what is the significance of the person specifically to the Madison Metropolitan School District that it should choose to name a school for this particular person over others of similar prominence?
The school district has invested in Black excellence and yet the stories of many local, prominent Black leaders through history remain unknown.  The school is named currently for a former slave trafficker (Thomas Jefferson), so it seems even more fitting that a formerly enslaved person, who did such a vital task in trying to ensure the voting rights of Black people in this state should be on the name of the school and his story widely known and heard about by the people of this state. He is the embodiment of local-Wisconsin Black history.

If the proposed name is an idea or concept which is a broadly respected community value, what is the significance of this idea or concept to the Madison Metropolitan School District? For what reason would the Madison Metropolitan School District choose to name a building for this particular idea or concept?
Voting rights are one of the most issues for all of us.  The preservation of the democracy and what our democracy means is tied to the rights of all people to have the ability to vote.  Through honoring Mr. Gillespie and telling what is known of his story we affirm the importance of this idea and the importance of democracy for all.