FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — A Virginia high school named after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee will be renamed after civil rights leader and Rep. John Lewis.
The Fairfax County School Board approved the name change Thursday.
“Rep. Lewis was a champion of the Civil Rights movement, and our Board strongly believes this is an appropriate tribute to an individual who is a true American hero,” school board chair Ricardy Anderson said in a statement. “We will also honor his life’s work by continuing to promote equity, justice, tolerance and service in the work that we do.”
The school board voted to rename the school June 23. There was a month for the public to suggest a name before the board approved the new name Thursday.
“The name Robert E. Lee is forever connected to the Confederacy, and Confederate values are ones that do not align with our community,” board member Tamara Derenak Kaufax said. “Our schools must be places where all students, staff, and members of the community feel safe and supported. I believe that John Lewis’ extraordinary life and advocacy for racial justice will serve as an inspiration to our students and community for generations to come.”
Lewis, who served as the representative for Georgia’s 5th Congressional District, died last week at 80. He was the last surviving member of the civil rights movement’s Big Six, which included Martin Luther King Jr., James Farmer, A. Phillip Randolph, Roy Wilkins and Whitney Young.