Guns Village Primary to change name after shootings in West Midlands
A school is to change its name despite a petition of more than 500 people calling for Guns Village Primary to stay as it is.
Governors at the school on Hanbury Road in West Bromwich wanted to make the change in response to recent gun crimes in Birmingham, and other practical reasons.
Now the decision has been taken to rename the school Hanbury Primary from September 2017, despite the name having historical significance with the area being used for gun manufacturing and a petition by parents.
The name change has been described as 'silly' by ward Councillor John Edwards.
He said: "It is a historic part of West Bromwich, and I think it is a petty decision. By changing the name they are wiping part of our history off the map."
When the plan was first proposed, parents launched a petition and a group was set up, 'The Against Guns Village Primary School Name Change Committee'.
In response to the announcement that it will go ahead, the committee has written a letter to the school's authorities. It states: "The name Guns Village is a name that has been historically linked with the area for centuries. It bears no direct correlation to gun crime, gangs or any atrocities that have happened either historically or more recently across the globe."
Dawn Cooper, head teacher of Guns Village Primary School, said: "We have consulted with parents and carers about changing the name of the school and more than 80 per cent of the people who responded were in support of changing the name. Of the names suggested, the most popular was Hanbury Primary School. On a practical level, the name Guns Village has caused us problems over the years as it hinders staff when using the school's or external IT systems as the safeguarding equipment on computer internet links blocks the use of the word 'guns'."
