Michael Taylor, a Sheepshead Bay High School graduate, believed his legacy lived on at the school through the Wall of Fame. But last week, he was told by a friend that his and hundred's other's legacies, were thrown in the dumpsters behind the school.

“There’s hundreds of different people over decades that have been honored with their names in the school," said Michael Taylor, a member of the Class of 1988. "The history of Sheepshead Bay High School…was just thrown in the trash.”

The school, which was renamed and turned into Frank J. Macchiarola Education Complex, now houses four high schools.

“Whatever school that was using the area – where these signs are – didn’t want them anymore, and they ripped them off the walls and threw them in the trash," said Taylor.

Sixteen of the plaques are now safely with Taylor.

News 12 reached out to the Department of Education to see why the plaques were taken down and tossed out and have not heard back.