Fairfax County School Board to Vote on Changes to School Names with Confederate Ties

After flagging a number of schools with Confederate ties, the Fairfax County School Board is considering aligning its school renaming and naming policy with the county’s commitment to building an inclusive, respectful learning environment.

At a Thursday meeting, the school board is expected to vote on a proposal to ensure school are named “appropriately.” Seven Fairfax County schools, including Robert E. Lee High School and Mosby Woods Elementary School, have ties to Confederate soldiers and and other individuals with Confederate ties.

The school board has been discussing the issue over the past year. At a recent meeting, school board members noted that “Confederate values are ones that do not align with our community.”

If the proposal is approved, the board can proceed with changing the name of a school or facility if it conflicts with One Fairfax, a county-wide policy that aims to ensure the county considers equity when making policies or delivering program and services. Additionally, school names and mascots associated with those names should be consistent with that policy.

It is unclear if the school board will immediately pursue changes to the names of schools if changes to the procedural process are approved on Thursday.

In recent years, ties of public institutions, statues and public installations to the Confederacy have been scrutinized by some regional and national entities.

Photo via FCPS