MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Following months of debate and uncertainty, Manatee County School Board voted once again to name a new high school opening in the Parrish area in August 2019. 

  • School originally named North River High School in summer 2017
  • Residents of Parrish pushed back, wanting to preserve history of community in school's name
  • Other residents concerned about history of Parrish name
  • School board vote was 4-1

The board voted 4-1 to name the school "Parrish Community High School."

The school board voted on the name North River High School back in the summer of 2017. After that vote, they received so much pushback from the residents of Parrish, the town the school sits in, that they agreed to vote again.

For the new and final vote on February 26, residents of Parrish came out in droves to make sure this time around their voices were heard. 

“The first vote was unorganized and unknown by a lot of the people living in the community," said seventh grade student Bradley Pickwoad, the youngest resident to speak to board members. "So I think the final vote went very well."

 

Some residents in attendance, however, were frustrated that there was a second vote at all. 

 

"If you name something, let the name stay," said Betty Rhodes, a Palmetto resident. "We shouldn't even be here tonight." 

For months, residents have been divided. Some wanted the name Parrish to be incorporated with the school's name, in order to preserve the history of the area. 

“The developers, they need to stay out of it!” said one resident. 

Others were concerned about the history of the Parrish name. 

“Why should we name a school after a slave owner?” said another resident. 

The school is set to open this fall.