Grandparent of Chapel Hill student pushes to rename school

MARSHALL COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — The grandparent of a Chapel Hill student has renewed a push to change the name of an area school.

The push follows the circulation of a photo allegedly taken at Forrest School. Chapel Hill is the birthplace of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest, who was also the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

Tracy Hatcher is the grandmother of an 11th grader at Forrest School and doesn’t like the sign that they have to pass every day.

“People of all races are moving there probably every day,” Hatcher told News 2. “…It makes them fearful. It makes them feel like less than.”

Changing the name of the school isn’t a new conversation. Since 2020, a Change.org petition has gained more than 6,000 signatures in favor of the idea. The topic came up again after a picture allegedly taken at the school, showing someone holding a racist sign that mentioned “cotton picking.” Director of Marshall County schools, Jacob Sorrells, told News 2 that he was aware of the photo, adding that all students involved were disciplined.

However, Hatcher said that she is still concerned.

“The name itself being attached to a school — it’s nothing to brag about,” Hatcher added.

Hatcher believes changing the school’s name could help break a cycle.

“We should be almost racist free by now,” she said. “We’re finding that the older generation is passing it down to [a] newer generation and then they’re going to pass it down to the next generation.”

Director Sorrells told News 2 that the name change idea hadn’t been directly brought to him, however, he was open to having the conversation and invited parents to call him to discuss.

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