Students vote to drop Confederate general's name from Dallas ISD school

Students at John B. Hood Middle School voted in favor of dropping the Confederate general’s name on Friday.

A math teacher at the school initiated the movement to change the school's name after learning Hood was a Confederate general in the Civil War.

The teacher talked to the principal, who brought the issue to the students for vote. Classmates spent Friday debating the issue before casting their paper ballot.

"He did stand for slavery and so agreeing with him or keeping the name is like we're representing like slavery is fine," said Katelann Coleman, 8th grader.

But some students were ok with keeping Hood’s name on the school.

"I come here to get an education, not to analyze the name of the school, so it shouldn't matter," said Sarah Woods, 8th grader.

The next step will be for students at the school to come up with a list of alternative names. Those names must meet district criteria and the students will then vote on those names.

The Dallas ISD Board of Trustees will have the final say on what the school will be renamed.