Dr Harris Black Lives Matter Show Fourth-Grader Called Out Racist Name (POLK)

It started out as a class project. Malachi Suarez, a smart, curious and articulate fourth grader at James K. Polk Elementary, wants to change the name of his school. In doing so, he sparked a broader conversation about history and culture within the Central Unified School District. Although he followed the process and the rules for making his case, Malachi’s project has been thwarted by school officials.

And now the issue has morphed beyond the Polk Elementary campus. The Central Unified board is forming a committee to look at school names and mascots across the entire district.

What the young scholar learned about the nation’s 11th President disgusted him. He learned that Polk was responsible for starting the war with Mexico in 1846 that was strongly opposed by Congress and the general public. The spoils of that war became the future southwestern region of the United States. That war in turn nurtured conditions leading to the Civil War.

He learned that Polk was the political driving force of Manifest Destiny, a policy touted at the time as the God-given right of the United States to occupy and rule the North American landscape from coast to coast, no matter who was already living there.

And he learned that Polk was a slave owner, had slaves in the White House, and even expanded his slave holdings while President.

Armed with this knowledge, Malachi thought it would be a good idea for his school community service project. His plan was to educate students, teachers and administrators alike about the true history of his school’s namesake and change it to something more appropriate.

“I feel like they’re trying to brainwash the kids and keep the truth a secret. So that would be giving the community the truth and then also representing people of color by changing the name.”