‘She was driven to teach’
Movement to honor Black teacher gains momentum in Stratford
STRATFORD — The Stratford Board of Education will reconsider a proposal to name a wing at Stratford High School after Rubye McNeil, a former English teacher who was one of the district’s first Black educators.
At a recent subcommittee meeting, the panel voted to recommend the full board name a wing dedicated to English classes in honor of McNeil, who served the district for more than 30 years before her death.
The vote was held about six months after the board rejected a similar proposal, a controversial move that sparked outcry among some residents and former students who believed McNeil was worthy of the recognition.
McNeil, an Arkansas native who died in 1993 following a battle with cancer, taught hundreds of students throughout her 32-year career. She initially worked at the since-shuttered Johnson Junior High School and was later reassigned to Stratford High School.
The subcommittee chose to advance the proposal after hearing testimony from several residents, including David Harden, McNeil’s grandson and the person who originally nominated the late teacher for the honor.
“There were lots of things that could have prevented her from coming to the town of Stratford and a lot of things as a minority woman that could have stopped her,” Harden, a former three-term council member, said. “But she was driven to come to this town. She was driven to teach.”
The wing in question was built as part of a $126 million expansion of the King Street campus that also included the construction of a new cafeteria, auditorium, culinary suite and scores of classrooms. The work began in 2017 and wrapped up in 2020.
The school board allows individuals to nominate longtime district employees or others who have made “exceptional” contributions to the town’s children to be honored as the namesake of a previously unnamed building.
To be considered, the person making the nomination must present evidence of the nominee’s achievements, provide a resume of their public service and produce at least 10 letters of recommendation to a subcommittee tasked with evaluating the proposal.
Last fall, a subcommittee voted to advance McNeil’s nomination. But the full board declined to unanimously approve the request, effectively blocking the proposal. At the time, some board officials suggested Harden had not presented enough evidence to qualify McNeil for the honor.
Harden, a Democrat who has clashed with the local party’s leadership in recent years, has suggested the decision was politically motivated. He chose to resubmit the naming request after Republicans won control of the panel following last fall’s municipal elections.
At Monday’s meeting, Harden offered additional documents that he said satisfied the board’s rules. He was joined by som eof McNeil’s former students, including Kenneth
Pugh, who described the late teacher as a trailblazer.
“Mrs. McNeil was an exceptional educator who not only possessed a boundless heart and genuine passion for her students,” Pugh said, “But she also served as a source of inspiration for me as a young Black student striving for success.”
Brenda Burton-Seldon, a longtime Stratford resident, called McNeil one of her earliest role models. She said McNeil encouraged her to participate in extracurricular clubs at school, which she credits with helping her get accepted to college and pursue a successful career.
“Nowadays, people take a job for the money. I don’t believe Mrs. McNeil took the job for the money,” BurtonSeldon said. “I believe she took her job because she cared about her community — the Stratford community.”
The 10-member subcommittee, which is made up of board members, school administrators and town residents, voted 7 to 3 to advance the proposal. Jill D’Angelo-Powers, Christopher Cormier and Lea Ann Bradford voted in opposition after suggesting they wanted more tim eto study the request.
It is not yet clear when the school board, which is scheduled to meet next on May 28, may take up the naming request. An agenda for the meeting is not yet available as of May 12, according to the school system’s website.