Dallas ISD votes to rename four schools with Confederate ties

DALLAS - The Dallas ISD  school board unanimously voted to rename four schools with names tied to the Confederacy.

The schools include Albert Sidney Johnston, Stonewall Jackson, William L. Cabell and Robert E. Lee elementary schools.

The most interesting case was Cabell Elementary School in North Dallas, which was named after a Confederate leader who was also a 3-term Dallas mayor. Cabell's contributions to the city and how they stack up against his ties to the Confederacy and why he was chosen to honor to begin with stirred debate at Thursday’s meeting.

The school board voted 9-0 in favor of expediting the process of renaming the schools.

Board members battled over several parts of the plan for about an hour and a half before voting.

“I guess I can see why they'd want to change it. But he also had a huge tie to Dallas,” said former student Destiny Cruz.

Each school will create a renaming committee and the new name will be submitted to the DISD board by Nov. 10 with a vote on approving the new name by Dec. 14.

The new names would take effect July 1 for the new school year.DISD board by Nov. 10 with a vote on approving the new name by Dec. 14. The new names would take effect July 1 for the new school year.

Parents, the community and school leaders began discussing potential changes in the wake of the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville in August. Some support the name changes while others argued they’re not necessary.

It will cost an estimated $150,000 for the school names to be changed.