Hoërskool DF Malan plans name change to be more inclusive

[Fulcrum29]

Opinion article published in 2020, not going to quote the whole article, but only the conclusion,

OPINION | DF Malan's bust is gone, now the school needs to change its name, too | News24

DF Malan is not just a name. It is not just a name in the same way that Cecil John Rhodes and Jan van Riebeeck are not just names, <strong>writes Willem Muller<strong>.

www.news24.com

OPINION | DF Malan's bust is gone, now the school needs to change its name, too​

...

I suggest the name DF Malan, proudly displayed on two walls of the school facing public roads, is a place-holder that allows people to project ideas they endorse but cannot articulate in respectable society. When the name falls, I hold, questions about the militarism, emphasis on discipline, regressive nature of critical discourse, and institutional and unconstitutional Christian dogma endorsed by the school, all come to the fore.

This is evident in the paradoxical nature of the argument that if the name truly "means nothing", as is often asserted by those opposed to a name change, it should be unproblematic to change it (as has happened with so many other schools named after National Party grandees, and with not a few public buildings named after DF Malan). The very fact that an argument for keeping the name exists, means that it does mean something, that there is something worth arguing for. The reasons for wanting the name are becoming increasingly evident to the world outside the palisade fence of DFM in comment sections as the issue gains social traction. Perhaps not surprisingly, these reasons veer between alt-right hate speech and profanity.

In response to the movement DF Malan Must Fall on Instagram, the official response by the school states that they do not want to have this particular conversation on social media. When I attended the school, they also didn't wish to have it as a conversation between pupils and teachers.

 

[SoldierMan]

DF Malan Drive is now Es'kia Mphahlele Drive, not a bad idea to continue in the same spirit.

It's an Afrikaans school so maybe keep it Afrikaans.
What does Es'kia Mphahlele mean?

 

[Conack]

If they insist on renaming it, and it can't be Afrikaans or English - then i'd suggest:



School flag, colours and mascot:

 

[dualmeister]

It has to be a name that all races will accept.
Otherwise it's not "inclusive".

 

[blah99]

It has to be a name that all races will accept.
Otherwise it's not "inclusive".

You mean like Gqeberha and Kariega?

 

[Fulcrum29]

I doubt they will change it to dual medium. This school apparently has over 1000 learners. That's enough to keep it an Afrikaans school. Usually when the learners dip below 600 is when the school need to change to dual medium.

I went on the protestors Instagram page where they translated a school memo into English, to post the translated version,

Dear All

Finally, the work we have been doing on this page has given us a tangible result. To anyone that has followed this cause, this is by far the most important step in this entire process, and we eagerly request that you participate. Pressing the issue on social media is by itself a type of conversation, but it is also a means to a different kind of conversation. Being upset online is not enough, and we must all involve ourself now in further constructive discussion.

Lastly, we would like to encourage anyone who is interested in the name of this school to take part. We are of the opinion that the school community is synonymous with the broader South African community, and that everyone who cares about the state of our public schools has a say in this.

Please do not let this opportunity to influence change pass by. Register to have an online or in-person conversation with the school now.

We would also just like to disclaim that the english translation was done by us and is therefore not the direct words of the school.

and someone added,

To those advocating that a name change will not exact a change in culture: If we can follow the response the aim may be to target the "Afrikaner only" culture that could be present at the school (a view advocated and experienced by many). Whilst changing a name does not change the ideology present at the institution, it may be indicative of a more inclusive mindset other than just showing pride in a singular cultural group. Whether this will enact substantial change is still to be seen, but it may be an integral step to achieving a more inclusive environment which may be a good thing.

the language is a tension point, and as I previously suggested in this thread it is about the public interest as a whole and not the school community per se. You see this every time these matters are brought up, it takes one person to have an issue to turn the matter into the public interest, it is also how the SAHRC operates.

I personally don’t have an issue with a name change, but the moment the name is changed or implied to change more requests will be made. Something tells me that the school emblem (which is neutral) along with the slogan will be up next, perhaps even the school colours, and then the push to make English the instruction medium. It happened at Stellenbosch, and it turned oppressive.

DF Malan Must Fall isn't playing around, they have appointed lawyers to handle their case.

 

[Alton Turner Blackwood]

They should rename it to Boston High and call it a day.

Like I said it's an Afrikaans-only school so rather Hoerskool Boston.

I'll be honest when I went there it gave me a sense of a very verkrampte-mindset with no people of colour in sight. Not that I have a problem with race (my kids are in a former model C, dual medium, white school).

I felt like those 18 year-old 2m boere with their vaal shorts want to moer the **** out of me.

But, like I said, I have no issue with parents wanting their kids in there as the school performs consistently every year, however, I don't see how they can become inclusive by having only Afrirkaans as medium of instruction since that, by default, eliminates 99% of the people of colour. And the majority of people in Bellville (Boston specifically) are black.

 

[konfab]

Like I said it's an Afrikaans-only school so rather Hoerskool Boston.

I'll be honest when I went there it gave me a sense of a very verkrampte-mindset with no people of colour in sight. Not that I have a problem with race (my kids are in a former model C, dual medium, white school).

I felt like those 18 year-old 2m boere with their vaal shorts want to moer the **** out of me.

But, like I said, I have no issue with parents wanting their kids in there as the school performs consistently every year, however, I don't see how they can become inclusive by having only Afrirkaans as medium of instruction since that, by default, eliminates 99% of the people of colour. And the majority of people in Bellville (Boston specifically) are black.

Are coloured people black enough to be people of colour?

 

[grok]

I'm just surprised no-one has suggested DF Gqmalberha yet..

 

[konfab]

Most "inclusive" thing to do would be to name the school after a very popular teacher there (past or present), as that is something that the school would actually be able to be proud of, and it would be part of the school's history. The name would actually mean something to the school.

That is orders of magnitude better than naming it after some politician.

 

[Alton Turner Blackwood]

Are coloured people black enough to be people of colour?

Yes, the South African definition is anybody who is not white is considered a person of colour. Boston has a schitload of flats and most of them house somalis and nigerians - it's the reason why Bellville has the nickname of Somaliville.

I know this because our office is there.

The demographic changes as you fan out either to Parow, Bellville-South, Tyger Valley or towards Brackenfell's side because then you will find mostly whites and coloureds.

 

[Alton Turner Blackwood]

I'm just surprised no-one has suggested DF Gqmalberha yet..

Out of interest, I'm flying to PE tomorrow and as I was booking my ticket, your comment came to mind. None of the airlines are using that kak name. How can you rename a city to a name that most people don't know how to pronounce. Even the people in PE don't use that name

 

[Vorastra]

It's a Hoerskool so name it Riley Reid

Remember when she rapped. NSFW.

 

[Craig_]

We should stop naming things after people, give it neutral names that everyone can pronounce.

 

[HunterNW]

We should stop naming things after people, give it neutral names that everyone can pronounce.

Hoerskool Druiwetros

 

[rambo919]

Opinion article published in 2020, not going to quote the whole article, but only the conclusion,

unconstitutional Christian dogma endorsed by the school

Well isn't that interesting....

 

[Craig_]

Hoerskool Klein Druiwetrossie

In jou geval.

 

[rambo919]

the language is a tension point, and as I previously suggested in this thread it is about the public interest as a whole and not the school community per se. You see this every time these matters are brought up, it takes one person to have an issue to turn the matter into the public interest, it is also how the SAHRC operates.

I do find it odd that no one notices that every time someone tries to repress the Afrikaner they try to eradicate his language. The Brits did it without success and now the ANC is trying to do it.

This has nothing to do with language per se I think it's rather part of a general undeclared war otherwise known as the national democratic revolution. If they succeed with this language english is probably next.

 

[Herr der Verboten]

Hoërskool DF Malan plans name change to be more inclusive | News24

The Cape Town school has taken the decision to review its name, along with the symbolism used by the institution.

www.news24.com

Hoërskool DF Malan suggestion:

Binêrskool BFLema

 

[Tokolotshe]

I say it's a simple solution - if you build it, you get to name it.

Define building it?

I was hired for a day to carry 50 bricks (yes I know, I'm slow and lazy) from the sidewalk into the property.

Hey, I built it!

Now I name it "NetTrilkoppeVeranderNameNaKakAnderName".