DISD to Consider Changing Names of Schools Named after Confederate Leaders

DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF) – The Dallas Independent School District School Board is discussing changing the names of schools named after confederate leaders.

A group of parents and concerned citizens asked the school board at a briefing Thursday to consider changing the names of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson elementary schools.
Lauren Silva-Laughlin has two kids at Stonewall and said the name stands for divide. She said the name is not indicative of the school or community.

“As a white mom of someone who lives in East Dallas I’m offended bringing my kids in there daily,” said Laughlin. “Because I don’t want to teach them that we should revere these characters.”

More than 3,000 people have signed a petition to have the school names changed. Dallas City Council Member Phillip Kingston asked the school board to additionally change the name of W.T. White High School, which was named after a previous Superintendent.

“I believe that the evidence reflects that the only reason [the school] was named for him was because he delayed desegregation in Dallas.”

The Dallas City Council recently voted to remove the Robert E. Lee statue from an Oak Lawn Park. The discussion about name changes in DISD, however, began months prior.

The school board hasn’t set when a decision will be made on if the school names will be changed.