In controversial move, Hanover board votes to name school Ashland Elementary School

The new construction will combine John M. Gandy Elementary and Henry Clay Elementary, and is set to open in 2024.

Naming of the school had become a contentious debate in Hanover, with residents in the community split between the names Ashland Elementary and John M. Gandy Elementary.

The board initially decided to use the John M. Gandy name in 2018. Gandy was a child of former enslaved parents and longtime president of Virginia State University.

Current board chair John Axselle III said in meetings that there was never an official vote to confirm the name, and that a school board policy forbids the board from naming any new school after a person, living or dead.

In March, the school board created a renaming committee charged with taking public input and choosing a name for the building. That committee said in April that it received overwhelming support for the name Gandy, but recommended another name, Berkleytown Elementary, which it said was in keeping with the board policy but continued to honor local Black history.

The board ultimately voted 6-1 Tuesday night to name the school Ashland Elementary.

The school board determined that it would have to take a unanimous vote to suspend its rules if it wanted to ratify the John M. Gandy name.

A motion from School Board member Ola J. Hawkins in favor of the name Berkleytown Elementary was shot down 4-3.

Opponents of dropping the John M. Gandy name said it was political payback for the renaming of schools that had been named for Confederate figures.  

This is a developing story.