The Halifax Regional Center for Education has announced that Prince Andrew High School in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia will be renamed Woodlawn High School.
The name change will take effect on August 1.
The school was named in 1960 to mark the birth of Prince Andrew, son of Queen Elizabeth II.
In February, Prince Andrew settled a lawsuit that accused him of sexually abusing a 17-year-old girl who had been provided to him by financier Jeffrey Epstein. Prince Andrew has made a substantial donation to the charity of his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, and said he never intended to slander her character.
In a letter to families on Monday, Elwin LeRoux, regional executive director of education for HRCE, said the name was decided in consultation with the school administration, school advisory board, students, families, staff and community.
“Our priority and goal with our school’s name change is to create an environment of safety and genuine inclusion for every student,” said a report from the name change committee.
“This was in response to questions and concerns from the school community about the appropriateness of the name Prince Andrew High School. Our school should feel like a safe place for everyone.”
Other possibilities
In addition to Woodlawn High School, the names City of Lakes High School and Ponamogoatitig Academy were also in the running for the top three names.
Other suggestions included naming the school after RCMP Constabulary. Heidi Stevenson who shot the man who killed 22 people in Nova Scotia in April 2020. Other suggestions included:
- Viola Desmond High School.
- Wade Smith High School.
- Dr. Robert Strang High School.
- Gloria McCluskey High School.
- Mayann Francis High School.
- Pjila’si Academy.
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