Mercer Middle School’s name should remain unchanged

Dear Editor:

I had the privilege of attending a Mercer Middle School (MMS) re-naming committee meeting last week at MMS.

I was aware of MMS’ rich 20-year history of academic accomplishment and service. Many people have told me of the dedicated teachers and staff who make this school a true beacon of love and learning for the surrounding community.

I arrived just as the committee of about 20 people, seated around the main table, began a bewildering
debate about renaming a school that is not named in honor of any person or anything that can be construed with racism. In other words, they are looking for a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.

I quickly observed that the chairperson of the committee was showing bias against the name “Mercer.” Her line of questioning, body language, and interaction with the other members made it seem that she had already decided that “Mercer” equates racism.

One person on the committee made a contortionist argument that racist incidents in Birmingham, Alabama, during the 1960’s were somehow proof that systemic racism was alive and well in LCPS.

One of the committee members was the chairperson of the local NAACP chapter. She asserted, using a non-credible, evidence-free, taxpayer-funded report from several years ago, that systemic racism exists in LCPS.

Pro-tip to the audience: if you’re conducting a racism study and you can’t find any proven incidents of racism, use the nebulous words “systemic racism,” and then the profit-driven education-industrial complex will throw tons of money at a problem that doesn’t exist.

Members of the Loudoun Love Warriors were here as well. They are the street muscle for the local NAACP. They intimidate school board members and encroach into their personal space, threaten violence, arson and lawfare and use cancellation against anyone who interferes with their narrative of racism.

In attendance was the former Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney. Apparently she has a strong scent for rooting-out “racism” where it doesn’t exist but was weak on prosecuting child rape in LCPS.

This months-long attack on MMS has left stunned parents and staff with the difficult task of explaining to bewildered children that their school is somehow, might be, associated with racism.

We must stop pretending that these race-bullies are credible. They distract us from what is good, and they foment hate and division in our community.

Mercer Middle School’s name should remain unchanged.

Ray Farrell
Round Hill