Saddlers Secondary renamed after Dr. Denzil Douglas - community split

It’s official. Come September 1st, when students return to class, Saddlers Secondary School will reopen as the Dr. Denzil L. Douglas Secondary School.

A ceremony is planned and brand-new crests already printed, marking what supporters say is a long-overdue tribute to Dr. Douglas’ decades of service as the area’s Parliamentary Representative.

But the decision has not landed smoothly across the community.

Some parents and alumni feel renaming schools should honour the teachers and educators who directly shaped generations of students in the classroom, rather than political figures.

💬 “So what will happen to the old crest that just has on Saddlers Secondary?” asked one parent online, while another said, “I already bought my child crest.”

Others called the move a “disrespect to the former teachers in Saddlers big time,” pointing out that educators laid the foundation of the school’s legacy.

The renaming has sparked heated debate, highlighting how sensitive school identity remains to both present families and past students.

What’s clear is that the name change is more than a new crest — it has reopened conversations about who gets remembered, and why.