The recent removal of the two Christopher Columbus statues in Chicago showed that our city doesn't allow statues of people who have committed such heinous acts, so why should schools be named after them?

According to CPS demographics, nine out of ten students identify as black, brown, or indigenous. Despite this across the city, at least 30 public schools are named for people who owned or traded enslaved black or indigenous people.

John Hancock is known for being a patriotic figure through his famous signature on the Declaration of Independence which deems that all men were created equal. However, his actions suggest he believed otherwise because John Hancock did indeed own household slaves along with acres of land, allowing him to be one of the most prosperous men in the colonies.

Although John Hancock can be deemed a “decent person” decent people do not deserve schools named after them. No matter how John Hancock acquired his slaves, he was a slave owner. 

CPS has an Office of Equity and Hancock High School has a Race and Equity Task Force to ensure racial equality and social justice for all. When asked about CPS schools named after problematic figures, Maurice Swinney, the top CPS official for racial equity, stated, It’s dehumanizing, and it’s something that we have to work on and change.”As Swinney claims, CPS does not stand for racism, so we should prove ourselves by enforcing these morals. However, John Hancock's name and legacy do not align with this vision or the morals of this school’s community.

As many of us know, John Hancock College Prep is transitioning to a new building, which will be ready for use by Fall 2021. As we leave behind our old building and enter a new physical space, we should also enter a new head and heart space by leaving behind our outdated name. Although starting a new year with a new building and even a new name might sound alarming and even radical, we need to remember that this school’s legacy isn’t defined by its name but by what its name represents. 

We, the undersigned, believe that

John Hancock has no place in our education system beyond a history lesson and should not be honored or memorialized on school property. 

A school that is meant to educate Black and brown students cannot be named after someone who owned slaves. 

In order to create a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students at John Hancock College Prep, we must make sure our school honors people who demonstrate the values that Hancock College Prep has a duty to uphold.