STAUNTON, Va. (AP) - A school board in Virginia has voted to change the name of a high school that honors a Confederate general.
News outlets report the Staunton School Board voted 4-2 Monday to change the name of Robert E. Lee High School. The board plans to launch an online survey this week for community input on what to rename the school. Comments will be accepted through next month.
This vote comes as Confederate symbolism is debated, with some saying it perpetuates racism and others saying it represents Southern heritage. It also follows other schools moving to rebrand themselves, such as Richmond Public Schools voting to rename J.E.B. Stuart Elementary to Barack Obama Elementary School. The school boards in Falls Church and Petersburg also are renaming several Confederate-named schools.
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