MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA/SNN) – After months of debate, the name of Manatee’s new high school is changing from North River High School to Parrish Community High School.
Hundreds came out in force on Tuesday to the Manatee School Board meeting to discuss the renaming of the newest high school.
Residents wanted a name that reflects the spirit of the town.
“There’s a fabric in this community,” Mimi Scheffer said. “And we know each other, we help each other and we love each other.”
The board voted 4-1 to change the name to Parrish Community High, with Charlie Kennedy dissenting.
“The reason we all came here is because of community,” Gretchen Fowler said.
“Because it’s a small town and because it’s a small town feel, and just looking the group effort that we have, that’s what came out today and that’s what’s been coming out over the last several months.”
But not everyone is happy with the name change.
“Based on the historical context,” I’m in much of the same opinion of other’s that we should have never been back here.” Rodney Jones said.
Groups like Manatee’s NAACP objected to the change because the Parrish family were slave owners.
“With the historical context of the name,” Jones said.
“And all the issues of race that have gone on in the country since the beginnings of us coming here, we just can’t support what we just did.”
Parrish Civic Association President Gretchen Fowler said that history doesn’t reflect what the community stands for now.
“You can remind people of history,” Fowler said.
“And it’s important to do that, and you want people to understand where everything derived from, the thing is you don’t want to dwell on that part of it.”
Parrish Community High School will open for students in August.
