Letters to the Editor: May 6 – 12, 2021
Dr. Warren Pace Shouldn’t Have Been Ignored As School Name
Editor,
Several months ago I contacted the Falls Church City Public Schools, the Falls Church News-Press and submitted to the school renaming committee to propose that the high school be renamed for an outstanding school administrator and nationally renown educator — Dr. Warren Pace. I did receive a response from the renaming committee website and my recommendation was published in the News-Press.
Dr. Warren Pace was named the Supervisor, FCCPS in 1971. Under his leadership the FCCPS became the first school system in the nation to incorporate the International Baccalaureate program into the system cirriculum and gained renown as, by some measures, the finest school district in the U.S.
During this period, George Mason High School was recognized as among the top ranked high schools in the country, if not the top high school.
Dr. Pace was honored as the United States National School Administrator of the Year in 1983.
Following his tenure as Superintendent, Dr. Pace continued to offer advice and council to the subsequent Director and members of the FCCPS board. The advancement and development of FCCPS stands as a memorial to Dr. Pace’s forethought, tenacity and understanding of the challenges faced by educators. Dr. Pace’s leadership and human spirit continue to inspire excellence within Falls Church schools, to the benefit of all residents of the City of Falls Church.
However, I recently read the high school renaming committee report on recommended names and see absolutely no mention of the recommendation the new high school for Dr. Pace. I read interim reports and, again, no mention of the recommendation to name the new school for Dr. Pace.
It is difficult to believe that the committee was not aware of the recommendation.
But the committee’s failure to mention the recommendation infers that the committee willfully chose to disregard the recommendation (which is contrary to the committee charter on-line).
I request a meeting with the Chairman of the committee, the Administrator of the City of Falls Church Public Schools, the Mayor of the City of Falls Church to ascertain why the recommendation was ignored. And, absent a sound and compelling argument, request that a new committee be established to unbiasedly review and recommend names for the new high school.
Robert Johnson
Falls Church
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