We as citizens of this district and students both current and alum, want the name James F. Byrnes removed from our high school and freshman academy building. The name should be taken down from all facilities and or all operating Spartanburg County District Five Schools owned property that represent our high school. We want the school to be renamed in a respectable fashion that our entire community would be proud of. During his political tenure, James F. Byrnes remained a segregationist. Critics saw his stance as a lost opportunity to exercise leadership in ending racial segregation. Instead he defended segregation in public schools. Byrnes blamed “Negro agitators” and “Washington politicians” and even threatened to abandon the public school system rather than desegregate. We do not feel that James F. Byrnes being that he opposed students of color being allowed to attend school with white students, should have an institute of public education named in his honor.

 “Whatever is necessary to continue the separation of the races in the schools of South Carolina is going to be done by the white people of the state. That is my ticket as a private citizen. It will be my ticket [as governor].” - James F. Byrnes