The school board of Shenandoah County, Virginia voted to reinstate the original names of two schools in their district that honor significant Confederate generals.
A county school board in Virginia decided this week to restore the original Confederate names of two schools previously deemed offensive.
Following the death of George Floyd in 2020, the Shenandoah County School Board voted to change the names of two schools in their jurisdiction named after Confederate generals.
Stonewall Jackson High School, named after Gen. Thomas « Stonewall » Jackson, became Mountain View High School. Ashby Lee Elementary School, named after Gens. Turner Ashby and Robert E. Lee, became Honey Run Elementary School.
On Thursday, the school board held a public hearing to consider a proposal restoring the original names of the two schools. Ultimately, the board voted to restore the original names derived from Confederate generals.
The motion to restore the schools’ original names was pushed by an organization called The Coalition for Better Schools. The group claimed in a letter to the school board that an overwhelming majority of residents wished to see the names reinstated.
« We understand that the decision to rename these schools was made in response to discussions surrounding Confederate symbols, » the letter stated. « However, we believe that revisiting this decision is essential to honor our community’s heritage and respect the wishes of the majority. »
Residents debated the 2020 decision at the hearing, with local reports suggesting significant turnout in support of both sides.
