Goose Creek CISD won't move forward with Robert E. Lee High School name change
BAYTOWN, Texas (KTRK) -- In a late-night meeting, Monday, the Goose Creek CISD board said they won't change the name of Robert E. Lee High School.
A facility names committee, formed last fall, recommended not to change it after results from a survey sent to the community showed an overwhelming majority of respondents didn't want the name changed.
The board initially voted 4-3 last fall not to change the name. That's when the committee was formed to look further into the matter.
RELATED: Goose Creek CISD will not change the name of Robert E. Lee HS, for now
The debate started last year when districts across the state discussed whether or not to change names of schools named after people associated with the Confederacy and segregation.
A wave of name changes and monument removals has taken place across the U.S., including Harris County where Robert E. Lee Road was changed to Unison Road in July.
SEE ALSO: Spirit of Confederacy statue relocated to Houston Museum of African American Culture
Some community members voiced their concerns after not being involved in committee meetings regarding the name change.
In a statement, Goose Creek CISD Superintendent Dr. Randal O'Brien said, "I humbly ask Goose Creek CISD community to continue to put your trust in an administration that has worked very hard to ensure a fair and objective process free from outside influence and political pressure."
The school, named after the former Confederate general, opened in 1928 and has an enrollment of approximately 1,700 students.
