Mrs. Hamon, you see what the result is when you give dumb people money. Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth.

Mrs. Hamon is a very generous person, and I am sure that the students, teachers, parents and community appreciate her contribution to the school. In fact, I have not heard one person say anything different.

The problem is the visual that is presented when you are on Routh Street. The only name on the building is Hamon Arts Magnet. Voting to put that wording on the building was incorrect and should never have happened. It has caused an outcry from people who have seen DISD make numerous mistakes in the past.

I believe that there is a reasonable way to honor Mrs. Hamon and insure that Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts name is the only prominent name on the building.

Let me paraphrase a few comments from the other day on this blog, and suggest again that it's simply not reasonable to expect a complex of this nature (and enormous expense) to feature "only [one] prominent name." Projects like this get all sorts of names slapped on all sorts of parts. To bicker about whose name is visible from which street, etc., is sort of absurd. I hate to put it this way, because it will almost certainly be taken wrong, but if BTW had been a white guy (or of Ms. Hamon were black), would we be having this conversation?

@ K.L.
Once again you all are quick to pull the "Race Card"/"Dumb Dallas Card". The reason BTW is going to remain the name is because we are preserving a legacy that goes back several generations. 10milion is a generous donation and Ms.Hamon has and will continue to receive acolades. I'm sure her intentions included keeping in tact the history of this fine learning institution.

KL

For me race is not the only issue. History is deeply involved. If someone wanted to change the name of Stemmons Freeway, The Mercantile Bank Bldg.,Woodrow Wilson High School, Julia C. Frazier Elem. School, Eric Johnson Library or Meyerson Symphony Center,etc.,I would oppose that change.

Routh Street is the only visibility that the school has other than Woodall Rogers Freeway.

Thank you Mrs. Hamon for being so generous.

Ms. Foreman, wouldn't you agree that if Oprah Winfrey had donated $10 million dollars toward the renovation of Booker T. Washington, the lettering on the East side of the building would read: Winfrey Arts Magnet and the sign on the front of the school would read (as it always has): Booker T. Washington School for the Performing and Visual Arts, but there would be no hard feelings on anyones part and it would not be a topic of blog discussion.

Lakewooder,

Booker T. Washington High for The Performing and Visual Arts is the only name that is acceptable to me.

Just because Oprah is black and rich would not give her any status over Nancy Hamon in this situation. You also ask me about Comer Cottrell,who is black,and I gave you the same answer. Race is not the issue. Preserving our history the most important factor.

The name "Booker T. Washington High" must be preserved.

Thank you Mrs. Hamon for being so generous.

Gee, isn't there something inside the school, like an auditorium, that can be named after Mrs. Hamon as a permanent acknowledgement without changing the name of the school?

Ms. Foreman, it was your previous statement that gave me pause. You said "For me race is not the only issue", and that statement implies race was indeed a part of the issue for your opposition to Ms. Hamon's name being displayed on the side of the building.

Bottom line: There was never any intent to change the name of this wonderful school. It was, is and always will be Booker T. Washington. Ms. Hamon made a generous gift to BTW. That gift helped transform the school into what it is today. From my point of view, putting her name on the side of the building is an appropriate tribute. But hey, what do I know.

Lakewooder

Booker T. Washington was black. The school was the first high school built in Dallas for blacks. I would like to preserve the history of the school.

As I have previously stated, putting a name of another person,no matter what race,on the building would not be acceptable to me. Get it?

Thank you Mrs. Hamon for your generous gift.

dan,

That's exactly what happened. A building was named after her -- not the school. Gotta admit, "Hamon Arts Magnet" was an unfortunate way to acknowledge that. It probably should have said "Hamon Performance Arts Center" or "Hamon Lecture Hall" or whatever the hell it is.

So. I think we all can agree: "Hamon Arts Magnet" is one of the most urgent issues facing our planet and our species. The entire purpose was to disenfranchise people of color, and Nancy Hamon should be given a lethal injection. I praise the brilliant and principled leadership that is behind the protests.

What do we want?
No more rich white people donating money!
When do we want it?
Now!

Looks like they're well on their way to getting their wish. Well played!

Wow, for a group of "smart" people, you certainly sound "less than smart". Why not ask the students what they prefer, and they want to maintain the BTW name. And they totally understand and appreciate Ms. Hamon. I am parent of one, and know many others.