TOPEKA, Kan. – The Seaman School Board heard its first update from the Namesake Advisory Committee they put together in March.
The district has heard from many in the school community calling for a name change since student journalists uncovered that the district’s namesake, Fred Seaman, was a leader in the Ku Klux Klan.
Committee member Michelle Cuevas Stubblefield talked to the board Monday night about the group’s expectations and concerns moving forward. The task force is charged with engaging the community, and getting feedback to help the board make a decision.
“The Seaman District is not an island, we have to look at it from all perspectives, you know whether you agree, whether you don’t agree, what’s the branding perspective, how will it affect businesses and how will it affect people coming into this community,” Cuevas Stubblefield said. “So, there is a lot to look at.”
The task force is comprised of students, staff, parents, alumni, and community businesses and organizations. Cuevas Stubblefield their next step is a June retreat with the Kansas Leadership Center, which is assisting the group in a process to engage the community.
