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Fairfax County School Board votes to change name of Robert E. Lee High School

Proposed name changes include Barack Obama High School and Mildred Loving High School. The final vote will come in July.

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — Fairfax County School Board unanimously voted Tuesday evening to change the name of Robert E. Lee High School. 

The 6-0 school board vote also came with six proposed name changes that will be considered before a final vote on the name change on July 23. 

Suggestions from District Superintendent Dr. Scott Brabrand include:

  • John Lewis High School
  • Barack Obama High School
  • Mildred Loving High School
  • Cesar Chaves High School
  • Legacy High School
  • Central Springfield High School

"A monthlong public comment period will begin today (Tuesday, June 23)," Assistant Superintendent Nardos King said in a statement. "During this time period, a community meeting and public hearing will be scheduled to collect additional feedback from the community before the School Board takes action on the new name of the school. The School Board has final say on a new name for the school." 

There will be a community meeting on July 15 to give the public a chance to weigh in on proposed name changes. 

Details have not been released for this meeting, but it may provide be a chance for the community to weigh in on the name change before a School Board public hearing on July 22. 

The feedback will be collected and posted on the website Proposal to Rename Robert E. Lee High School. Anyone who is not able to attend the meeting in person is welcome to submit their feedback to Region3admin@fcps.edu.

The board will vote to approve the final name choice July 23, and the new name will be implemented ahead of the start of the new school year. 

RELATED: School board voted to change JEB Stuart High School to Justice High School

In recent years, other local schools have changed their names that were associated with Confederate generals, or those who have a known racist past. 

Both JEB Stuart High School in Fairfax County and Washington-Lee High School in Arlington both had their names changed to Justice High School and Washington-Liberty High School, respectively.

The Prince William County School Board is also in the process of hosting community meetings to discuss renaming Stonewall Jackson Middle School and Stonewall Jackson High School. 

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