Hello Class of 1969! Would anyone be interested in signing onto this letter (or a version of) to the class of 2019, and giving money for expenses related to the name change? Since many of us live far away, and haven't been in touch, this seems like a practical way to celebrate 50 years, to me.

Dear Justice High Class of 2019,

On the 50th anniversary of our graduation, the most meaningful thing we could think of was to thank you for your work on changing the name of our high school. So we thought we’d send this letter, and this money toward expenses for new signage, team shirts, etc. related to the new name.

Back in 1969, the school was overwhelmingly white, by design. You all know the history of segregation, and the reason the school was named as it was. Back in 1969, most of us students were unaware of this, sadly. Those of us who are white had no reason to think of race, because we didn't have to: the water in which we still swim. But back then, we also suffered from the sheer ignorance that Martin Luther King spoke to so eloquently in “Where do we go from here: chaos or community”:

“Whites, it must frankly be said, are not putting in a similar mass effort to re-educate themselves out of their racial ignorance. It is an aspect of their sense of superiority that the white people of America believe they have so little to learn.”

Many of us were profoundly affected by the 60’s, including the Civil Rights, Women’s liberation, and anti-Vietnam war movements. The summer of 1969 also saw the Stonewall rebellion and Woodstock. Some of us are still involved in the struggle for social justice in our country, doing the inner work as well as the community work. Your efforts for change, as young people, are so heartening to us. You are now our teachers, and the undersigned are proud to be your students.

A big shout out to the graduating class of 2019, from the class of 1969,

signed,

nance kent