A Nova Scotia high school is distancing itself from a controversial royal namesake by adopting a new name.
As of Aug. 1, Prince Andrew High School in Dartmouth, N.S., will be known as Woodlawn High School.
The school opened in 1960, and it had 736 students enrolled this school year.
The school’s administration and members of the school advisory council began the process of renaming the school in January 2021, although the idea was first floated in October 2019.
The move came after Prince Andrew faced allegations of sexual assault against underaged girls and was linked to disgraced late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The Queen’s second son has since renounced his military titles and patronages, and settled a civil lawsuit in February.
Students, families, staff and community members submitted suggestions for names, and the renaming committee produced a report for the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE).
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The top three final names submitted were Woodlawn High School, City of Lakes High School and Ponamogoatitjg Academy.
In a letter to students and families on Monday, Elwin LeRoux, Regional Executive Director of Education for HRCE, called the new name choice “great news.”
“I offer my sincere thanks to everyone who participated in this important process. I am especially appreciative to the committee for their time and efforts,” he wrote.
HRCE has a policy in place for renaming schools.
In March 2021, two Halifax-area schools were renamed after ongoing controversies surrounding their original namesakes. Sir John A. Macdonald High School in Upper Tantallon became Bay View High School, while Tallahassee Community School in Eastern Passage became Horizon Elementary School.
In 2011, Cornwallis Junior High was renamed Halifax Central Junior High after years of the Indigenous community and allies calling for a name change due to the negative impacts Edward Cornwallis had on the Mi’kmaq people.
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