Colts Neck school board member Robert Scales proposed forming a committee to consider renaming Conover Road Primary School "Donald J. Trump Primary School," citing the former president as a "true ally" and linking the idea to the nation's upcoming 250th anniversary. A 2009 board policy forbids names with political or religious connotations, and the school already honors local landowner Joseph Conover, whose estate helped fund playground equipment. School Board President Angelique Volpe and board member Kevin Walsh have invited Trump to visit; Walsh is listed as a Trump Organization security director. Scales' claim that 80 schools bear Trump's name could not be verified.
Colts Neck Board Member Proposes Renaming Elementary School After Donald J. Trump — Raises Policy Questions
Scales claimed that while the state and county governments have let down his school district, the president of the United States hasn't. / Colts Neck Township Board of Education
A New Jersey school board member has proposed renaming an elementary school after former President Donald J. Trump, setting off debate about board policy and local tradition.
Proposal and Rationale
At a recent meeting in Colts Neck Township, roughly an hour south of New York City, board member Robert Scales asked the board to form an exploratory committee to consider renaming Conover Road Primary School to "Donald J. Trump Primary School." Scales framed the suggestion as a salute to what he described as a national leader who has supported local priorities, and tied the idea to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States.
"What person is doing things that protects our school?" Scales asked at the meeting. "So, what I'd like to propose is to form an exploratory committee to rename the primary school, 'Donald J. Trump Primary School.'"
Policy And Local History
Scales' proposal may face a procedural obstacle: a 2009 school board policy states that names applied to facilities "shall be free from biases, prejudices, or political, and/or religious connotations," and that the board should consider location, community, and local heritage when selecting a name. Superintendent MaryJane Garibay reminded the board that Conover Road Primary School is named for Joseph Conover, a former Colts Neck landowner whose estate designated the school as a beneficiary; those funds were used to purchase playground equipment.
Trump has already put his name on the Kennedy Center and the U.S. Institute of Peace, and seems hungry for more attention. / Nathan Howard / REUTERS
Board Reaction And Connections
School Board President Angelique Volpe indicated the idea may have some supporters: she and her husband, fellow board member Kevin Walsh, have reportedly invited Trump to visit the district. Walsh's public profiles list him as a director of security at the Trump Organization since 2021, and his social media contains pro-Trump imagery.
Volpe said she had discussed the relative scarcity of schools named for Trump compared with those bearing former President Barack Obama's name and that she had compiled a list she intended to share with the administration. Scales claimed there are "80" schools named for Trump; that figure could not be verified by the Daily Beast.
Context And Responses
Monmouth County voted for Trump by about 55% to 43% for Kamala Harris in 2024. Neither Scales nor the White House immediately responded to requests for comment. Volpe and Walsh previously succeeded in securing a visit from then–Education Secretary Linda McMahon, who appeared at a Colts Neck middle school in December as part of the America 250 "History Rocks!" initiative, a 50-state civics program.
The proposal touches on practical and symbolic issues: whether a school name should reflect local history and donor intentions, whether a living political figure is an appropriate namesake, and whether board policy would allow a politically charged name change. The board would have to follow its established procedures and policies if it chooses to pursue the idea further.
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