CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The name chosen by Clarksville-Montgomery County School System for the new elementary was meant to serve as a patriotic tribute to our Fort Campbell neighbors. The name was rejected by the School Board Tuesday night, in part because some online research of the name suggests a less than family-friendly environment.
“If you want to know why we oppose this name, go out and do your research,” School Board member Jimmie Garland told the board and members of the community during Tuesday night’s formal session. “Take a look at the name itself and then you’ll know the reason why.”
He later told Clarksville Now that Freedom Valley is the name of an adult-oriented campground in Wisconsin.
Board members feel ‘slighted’
The board was asked on Tuesday to vote on the potential name Freedom Valley Elementary School by Schools Director Dr. Jean Luna-Vedder.
School Board member Carol Berry did not shy away from expressing disappointment in the name and said she wouldn’t support it after the research that she did, and she believed this was not a name that would properly reflect on the new CMCSS school.
Berry said she also disagreed with the overall process of coming up with a name. She offered that, instead, they should have started by considering CMCSS core values and mission. Next, she said that the board should have brainstormed together in a scheduled session and then moved into holding preliminary hearings. After which, Berry said they should have done research and looked at the feedback before making a final decision.
“But for a name to just be, I would say, selected, and then we’re told what it is after the fact? I feel like we were slighted, as board members,” Berry said. “I think the citizens should have input, and I just think that we do need to change our policy and consider naming the school after someone that is deserving of it.”
Patriotic tribute? Or adult campground?
In presenting the name, Luna-Vedder has focused on the neighborhood’s military connections. “Given the proximity of the future school to Fort Campbell, our strong partnerships with our military community, and our student population of approximately 30% military connected, the recommendation tonight pays tribute to our patriotic neighbors,” Luna-Vedder said during the Feb. 6 study session.
The CMCSS operations team, according to Luna-Vedder, created a map with locations of communities and schools in the area from the late 1800s up to the mid 1900s. Of the 40 names considered, Freedom Valley emerged as the No. 1 recommendation.
Luna-Vedder said the location of the future elementary school is adjacent to the boundary of Fort Campbell. The list of potential names included communities within the region, local landmarks, farm names and historic school names.
According to CMCSS’ policy on naming schools, the Chief Operations Officer is charged with gathering community and district input and presenting recommendations to the Director of Schools. The director provides the board with the staff recommendation, and the board makes the final decision.
Freedom Valley Campground, located in Cushing, Wisconsin, is a clothing-optional, adults-only, LGBTQIA friendly RV park and campground that is promoted for swinging (partner-swapping) couples, according to their website and socials. Among other top results when searching the term “Freedom Valley” are a gay campground in Ohio, a farm in Tennesse, a church in Pennsylvania and a book series.
Policy for naming schools under review
“Why is there no Wilma Rudolph School?” A.C. Lopez asked the board Tuesday night during public comments. “We can even express that to Martin Luther King. People told me, ‘We got streets named after them, we got even centers named after them; we don’t need no more recognition.’ But, my lovely school board … how much is too much? Really?”
Lopez told the board it’s sometimes hard to look at the past, but there was a chance to make it more beautiful and inspiring. “If we have more minorities out there being heroes, maybe our minorities will be inspired. Because of that, I feel like we should retake a look at this policy letter.”
School Board member Herbert Nelson made a motion to do exactly that.
“My understanding is to actually name or use a person’s name, we have to go back and change our current policy that was adopted back in 2015,” Nelson said during the board’s discussion. “So, I’d like to make a motion that we go back and look at changing our policy. … I would like us, as a board, to relook at our policy and address it to what we are allowed to have for a wider selection of names for our next elementary school and schools for the future.”
His motion passed with unanimous agreement, and the School Board will review the current policy during the March informal session.
“People can do what they want, but the bottom line is we need to make sure that our school will not bring any disdain where it concerns the name,” Garland said. “Especially when we are talking about our children. We’re talking about our children.”
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