After hours of debate, the Shenandoah County school board voted to restore the names of three Confederate officers to schools in the district. The decision marked a reversal of a move made four years prior, when George Floyd’s killing led to calls for a racial reckoning. In 2020, the board voted to rename two schools — Ashby-Lee Elementary and Stonewall Jackson High — due to concerns about the names being incompatible with a resolution condemning racism. However, a strong backlash from the community led to the restoration of the Confederate names.
The rural county, which is primarily white, is not alone in reversing decisions made in 2020. Across the U.S., measures taken in the wake of Floyd’s death, such as new educational curriculums on racial history, have been rolled back. Politicians have also criticized the teaching of “critical race theory” and reinstated racially offensive mascots. But Shenandoah County’s decision to bring back Confederate namesakes appears to be unique, as no other district had done so until this vote.
The shift to restore the names of Confederate officers came after three conservatives won seats on the school board, pledging to remove the “woke Leftist agenda” from schools. In response to a letter from a group advocating for the name restoration, the board agreed to reconsider the issue. Public sentiment during a meeting prior to the final vote was divided, with Black residents arguing against the return of Confederate names. Critics of the decision saw the renaming in 2020 as part of a larger “woke movement” that they believed needed to be rectified.
Supporters of reviving the Confederate names argued that they did not see racism at Stonewall Jackson High and questioned the motives behind the renaming in 2020. They expressed frustration at what they viewed as a secretive process that did not adequately involve community input. Despite opposition from those who saw the names as symbols of racism and oppression, the majority of the board felt compelled to restore the original names, citing a desire to follow the will of the community.
The vote to reinstate the Confederate names came after a lengthy debate that lasted until the early hours of the morning. The decision was met with a mix of emotions from those in attendance, with some feeling triumphant that a perceived injustice had been corrected, while others felt disheartened by what they saw as a step backward in the fight against racism. The divisive nature of the issue highlighted the challenges faced by communities grappling with their history and differing perspectives on how to address past injustices.
In the end, the school board’s decision to restore the Confederate names underscored the ongoing tension between preserving historical legacies and confronting the legacy of institutional racism. The debate in Shenandoah County reflected larger societal divisions over issues of identity, heritage, and social progress. As the district moves forward with the reinstated names, the community will continue to grapple with the complexities of its history and how best to navigate the path towards a more inclusive future.
