As you are coming into school in the morning, you drive by the two elementary schools adjacent to Lightridge. One of those schools is Hovatter Elementary, and the other school is a primary school named Henrietta Lacks whose name’s origin is an important part of Virginia and medical history.
The school is named after African American Virginia native Henrietta Lacks (née. Pleasant) who was born three hours away from Aldie, in Roanoke. Lacks spent her younger years tending to the fields to support the rest of her family, which consisted of over ten siblings.
Henrietta Lacks was married to her childhood sweetheart David “Day” Lacks and had five children with him before being misdiagnosed with epidermoid carcinoma. During her treatments, two cell samples were taken from Lacks without her permission and were given to researchers for data.
“Those two cells became a part of the HeLa Immortal Cell Line which is a cell line used often in biomedical cancer research,” said LCPS Chief Operations Officer Kevin Lewis at a school board meeting on May 23, 2023.
The HeLa Cell Line has been used in laboratory research on viruses and genetics. Most notably, researcher Jonas Silk used her cells to develop the first effective polio vaccine.
Despite the impact of her cells, they were still taken without her or her family’s consent and therefore generated discussion on the racial injustices in medicine enacted specifically on African American individuals.
The school board passed the motion to name the school Henrietta Lacks with a vote of six in favor, one member in opposition, and two members being absent.
The other options for the school were Harvest Ridge, Hovatter Primary, and Sibyl Hovatter.
“We ultimately decided to name the school in honor of Henrietta Lacks to recognize both her impact on medical research and the injustice she endured,” said 2022 school board member Ian Serotkin.
Through this decision, the school board ensures that Henrietta Lack’s story and legacy is never forgotten. Rather than something like Hovatter Two, the school we pass every day emphasizes the importance of justice for all people.
