HAMPTON, Va. – Hampton City Schools has set two public hearing on renaming two schools named after confederate leaders.
The two schools in question are Jefferson Davis Middle and Performance Learning Center at Campus Lee.
People will be able to speak about the issue on October 26th and November 8th.
Last month, the Hampton Branch of the NAACP sent the school district a letter asking for the names to be changed.
The president Gaylene Kanoyton spoke at Wednesday night's school board meeting.
“We ran across the policy naming of schools. 'Elementary and middle schools will be named in honor of persons who have rendered outstanding service to mankind.' Certainly, they don’t not fit the criteria," Kanoyton said, addressing the board.
Those supporting the change said the names represent hate, segregation, the KKK, and slavery.
The SCLC recently filed a lawsuit against Hampton City Schools for the release of information related to a request to request to rename several schools.
Hampton’s chapter of the NAACP and the SCLC have been trying to get the names changed for over a year.
Only one person spoke against the change.
“I think we need a few more heroes in our lives," Steve Felix said. “General Lee was, I won’t bore you with the details of his military accomplishments but he was an extraordinary soldier.”
No word on where the meetings will be held.
