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By Martha McHardy
US News Reporter
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A Texas school district is moving to restore the name of a Confederate general to one of its campuses, reversing a 2020 decision made amid nationwide calls to remove symbols of the Confederacy.
The Midland Independent School District Board of Trustees voted 4-3 late on August 12, 2025, to revert Legacy High School to its original name, Midland Lee High School, restoring the association with Confederate General Robert E. Lee and applying the change to the freshman campus and a planned future site.
Robert E. Lee's name has been widely commemorated across the United States, particularly in the South, through monuments, statues, schools, streets, and parks. Some of the most prominent statues include the equestrian memorial in Charlottesville, Virginia, removed in 2021 after violent protests, and the Robert E. Lee Monument in Richmond, Virginia, which was toppled the same year amid racial justice demonstrations.
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Other cities, including New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, and Austin, have also had statues honoring Lee, many of which have been removed or are slated for removal.
Why It Matters
The vote marked a rare reversal in the national reassessment of Confederate symbols, underscoring tensions between local traditions and efforts to confront historical ties to slavery and segregation.
Nationwide data showed more than 300 schools across 20 states still bore the names of Confederate leaders, making the Midland reversal part of a broader debate about public commemorations in schools and other institutions.
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What To Know
Trustees Matt Friez, Josh Guinn, Angel Hernandez and Brandon Hodges voted for the change, while trustees Tommy Bishop, Michael Booker and Sara Burleson opposed it.
The board specified that the renaming would apply to the main high school at 3500 Neely Avenue, the freshman campus at 1400 East Oak Street, and a planned campus legally described as 121.915 acres in the northwest quarter of Section 48, Block 40, T1S.
The motion followed more than four hours of public testimony from over 50 residents and drew a crowd of hundreds, with attendees both waving restored "Lee" flags and urging unity and inclusion during emotionally charged remarks.
The 2020 renaming to "Legacy High School" had occurred amid nationwide protests over racial injustice following the killing of George Floyd. The school had originally opened in 1961 during an era of legally enforced segregation.
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) reported that 168 Confederate symbols were removed, renamed, or relocated that year—more than in the preceding four years combined.
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The movement gained momentum as cities and institutions responded to public outcry. For example, Richmond, Virginia, removed several Confederate statues, including the prominent Robert E. Lee monument, which was later displayed in a Los Angeles museum exhibition titled "Monuments," aiming to promote critical reflection on America's history.
Similarly, Mobile, Alabama, dismantled the statue of Confederate naval officer Raphael Semmes, relocating it to the History Museum of Mobile. In Decatur, Georgia, the DeKalb County Confederate Monument was removed from the courthouse square, reflecting a broader trend of reevaluating public symbols.
What People Are Saying
Josh Guinn, Midland ISD trustee, wrote on social media: "This is not a division — it's about honoring the patriotic legacy that binds us. Let's stand firm, protect our heritage, and ensure Midland Lee High School rises as a beacon of our West Texas spirit."
Carie McNeil, alumna, said: "This is not a Confederacy thing or race; it's about family. This is about history, 61 years of tradition, athletes, and academics."
Sue Roseberry, longtime resident, told the board: "I want you to know that you have an opportunity to associate the school with something that uplifts all of our students."
**Barbara Hanley, retired teacher, said: "**Let the old name die," and called the reversal a "waste of money" that would "only serve to divide the community further."
Ebony Coleman, founder of Jumpstart Midland, said: "This is a distraction from what really matters right now."
What Happens Next
The board ordered the name change to take effect at the start of the 2026–2027 school year, and the district will begin planning for updates to signage, uniforms, and other items as the community prepares for the transition.
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