While the Robert E. Lee Elementary community has been quick to act on a name change, neighbors at Stonewall Jackson Elementary have not seen any public movement to do the same. At the Dallas ISD board meeting this Thursday, trustees will decide whether the names of Stonewall, Lee and two other Dallas ISD schools must be changed before the end of the calendar year.
After discussion about Confederate school names at a board briefing earlier this month, a resolution has been written and will be discussed and voted upon later this week. The “diverse racial and ethnic groups and faith traditions” is cited as a reason to change the name, and the resolution states that “school names that honor prominent Confederate leaders for their roles in the Confederacy are perceived as symbols of intolerance.”
Interestingly, the resolution also states that “the proposed new name must not be a shortened version of the existing name.” Community members often call Stonewall Jackson Elementary “Stonewall,” with some parents pushing to retain “Stonewall” in the new name. If the resolution passes, that won’t be an option.
The resolution also waives the current district policy on name-change timelines. It says that the superintendent or designee must present the new name to the board by its December meeting. Under current policy, name changes are voted on at the end of the spring semester. The reason for that change is to allow schools time to make the necessary changes before the 2018-19 school year.
Lee Elementary has already submitted paperwork to be changed to Geneva Heights Elementary.
The board meeting will be Thursday at 6 p.m. at Conrad High School, 7502 Fair Oaks Ave. Read the entire resolution here.
