KINDLY GIVE IT BACK
To Nancy and Richard Kinder:
Thank you for your generous support of Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Your forward-thinking example will encourage others to contribute to our public schools.
Thousands of Houstonians, alumni, students, parents, and staff built the HSPVA brand over 45 years of achievement and excellence. The school’s name is enhanced and inextricably linked to the accomplishments of 42 graduating classes. It's community built.
We respectfully ask that you allow the institution name to remain the same. Having one family’s name on the school diminishes the important contributions of Houston’s educators and citizens. It overwrites our city’s cultural history.
Taxpayers are contributing 95% of the cost of the new building. Your foundation’s contribution is welcome, but naming the entire school “Kinder” is just not proportional. A theater named in your honor would be a wonderful, appropriate, and lasting form of recognition.
Mr. and Mrs. Kinder, you are leaders in our community. Your contribution to HISD sets the template for others. It should be the best possible example.
To voluntarily reduce the scope of your contract and recognition would show true charity and generate tremendous goodwill toward the Kinder name, far more than the school name change.
To belong to something wonderful is different from owning it. You belong; all Houstonians belong.
A public school is like no other part of government. Houstonians are in this together. Our school names should reflect that. Let us take the time together, to get this right.
Respectfully yours,
The Undersigned
Please sign the appeal using the link to change.org below. Please put your affiliation with the school in the comments when you sign, including class year if you are a student, parent or alumnus. You can also say Houston citizen, Texas citizen, etc. If you don't, we can't tell the Kinders how many signers are from the community at large. And please post to social media! There's a button to share on Facebook right next to the appeal.