Princeton Middle School

The name of John Witherspoon Middle School was changed to Princeton Middle School in 2021 due to the complicated legacy of namesake John Witherspoon. A Princeton resident throughout the late 1700s, Witherspoon was president of Princeton University, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and the owner of enslaved people. A petition calling to change the school’s name was submitted in summer 2020 and signed by 1500 people. The school was temporarily renamed “Princeton Unified Middle School” while students, parents, staff, and the Princeton community discussed possible alternatives. Suggestions ranged from names celebrating figures of national importance, names honoring local legends, and more general “place-based” names. The School Board voted on the final choice and selected “Princeton Middle School” in 2021.