Vancouver school named after British general who ran concentration camps up for re-naming
A Vancouver school named after a British general who set up concentration camps in South Africa where thousands died is one step closer to having a new name.
On Monday, the Vancouver School Board will vote on a recommendation to rename Lord Roberts Elementary. The school in the city's West End was first built and named in 1907.
The school's parent advisory council and staff started the renaming process last year, saying the school's name was not consistent with the values of the community. The decision to pursue a new name was unanimously supported by staff.
"For over one hundred years our school has been named after a man who ran concentration camps. He also burned down farms and forcefully occupied the land of indigenous populations, and so was a hero of the British Empire," says an online statement posted last year.
The most recent step in the renaming process came earlier this month when the board's facilities planning committee considered a report outlining the community's issues with the school's namesake.
Lord Frederick Sleigh Roberts was made the commander of the British forces in the Second Boer War in 1900, the report notes, adding that he adopted a "scorched earth policy" where the British military was ordered to burn down farms and homes.
"Families whose homes were destroyed by this policy had to move into concentration camps. Conditions in the concentration camps deteriorated rapidly as the number of people forced into them increased. The camps were unsanitary and lacked space, food, medicine and medical care, the report explains, adding that more than 26,00 0 people are estimated to have died in the camps.
"One of Lord Roberts’ purposes in southern Africa was to claim land victory for the British and is widely thought to have participated in actions that disenfranchised and discriminated against Black Africans."
Because of this, the committee voted unanimously to support the request for consideration for renaming, and to forward it to the board.
If the school board votes in favour of renaming, a committee will be struck to consider potential new names. Final approval rests with the board, but the guidelines for renaming recommend a "place-based name" rather than one that honours a person.
The parent advisory council has already identified its preferred candidate: West End Elementary
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.