The Richmond School Board finalized a policy on Wednesday night that will allow the district to accept philanthropic contributions in exchange for the naming rights to school spaces.

The policy will not allow entire schools to be named or renamed for donors, though, and sets out a process of due diligence when opportunities arise, including a “morals and termination clause” that will allow the district to remove problematic names later.

The discussion began in April, when Richmond Ed Fund CEO Taikein Cooper told Board members that he was approached by an individual who offered to provide equipment for the new podcast studio at the Richmond High School for the Arts. In return, the individual asked for the studio to be named after their parents.

RPS will consider selling naming rights to school facilities

“Does it give us any guidance around a ‘CarMax Stadium at Huguenot High School?’”

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The Ed Fund is a nonprofit created to fundraise for RPS.

That exchange would be allowed under the new rules, but only after a period of community engagement.

“The School Board will consult the community for input, and consider all public comments and requests before any final decisions are made on philanthropic naming agreements,” the new policy reads.

It adds: “If at any time the School Board determines that the Donor does not align with the values of Richmond Public Schools, the name reflects negatively on the reputation of the community, or any other unforeseen or unusual circumstances arise, the School Board has the full power to remove the name from its facilities.”

The Ed Fund will be tasked with preparing a due diligence report on potential naming opportunities.

Altering the school renaming policy

While amending its rules, the Board also changed its policy on renaming schools. Currently, if a school is renamed, that new name must remain for a period of 30 years until it can be altered again. Now, a renaming can take place earlier with a two-thirds vote by the Board.

School board member Emmett Jafari (8th District) has raised the possibility of returning Richmond High School for The Arts back to its original name, George Wythe High, noting that while Wythe was a slaveholder, he worked in his later years to end the institution.

Three years after renaming, School Board member seeks to honor George Wythe again

The School Board meets on Monday night, but it’s unclear how much support Jafari has for his motion.

The RichmonderVictoria A. Ifatusin

The board previously worked off of a three-pronged rubric when naming a school, asking if the proposed name aligned geographically, whether it matched the physical features of the community, and whether it honored a particular individual.

The new criteria adds that names must align “with RPS mission, values, and equity commitments,” and have “historical and cultural significance.”

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