I request your help with changing the name of James K. Polk Elementary School in Central Unified School District.

James K. Polk was a slave owner and he was against abolition. He also embraced the term manifest destiny. Manifest destiny means god says that European American settlers are better than people of color, and European American settlers are more deserving of the land. Polk used the idea of manifest destiny to gain support for his war with Mexico. The main reason he provoked a war with Mexico was to acquire the western territory. He committed genocide against Native Americans and killed many Mexicans for the westward movement that my school is celebrating.

Also, representation matters. The majority of Central Unified students are children of color. It is important that schools be named after people of color who made significant contributions to this community so that we can see ourselves in a positive light. We can achieve great things when we believe they are possible. Diversity and representation elevate the community too. A community operates better when there is representation, equality, and difference in opinion. 

Please sign my petition to change the name of my school. Racist slave owners do not deserve to have a school named after them, especially in a diverse community where there are plenty of others who made significant contributions.