While San Angelo ISD Ponders Renaming Middle School, Epic Piece on Robert E. Lee's Legacy Here Will Be Released Tonight

SAN ANGELO, TX — The San Angelo Independent School District administration is delaying a decision about renaming Robert E. Lee Middle School until October.

Meanwhile, Friday evening, San Angelo LIVE! is releasing an epic video story about the controversy to exposes Lee's ties to the Concho Valley while explaining the arguments of those who want the Confederate general's name removed from the school. Robert E. Lee Middle School was established in 1949.

Weeks after a petition surfaced requesting the name change to Robert E. Lee Middle School, San Angelo ISD issued a response this morning. The statement in part explains how the district will respond to the more than 13,000 signatures that demand a change and the 7,000 signatures that demand the name be kept. The district announced they would take action by October.

The district plans to host virtual town halls and forums that will allow for community input on the issue. The district will provide further details in the coming months.

"The Board of Trustees has initiated a formal and thorough process to consider the retention of the existing name or renaming of Lee Middle School. We understand this is a sensitive topic that many members of our community care deeply about, so we are approaching the process in a planful and inclusive manner."
 
"To enable the Board to hear from the varied perspectives and unique voices in our community, we plan to host two virtual community town hall events open to all interested persons together with forum meetings designed for particular groups. We will be moving forward with these next steps beginning late July to continue through September."
 
"We want to do our part to keep the people of San Angelo healthy, out of the hospital, and reduce future business closures that could significantly impact our community. For this reason, we are working closely with local healthcare officials to ensure our town hall events and forum meetings are conducted in a way that promotes public health and safety."
 
"Our goal for this process is to gather as much community input as possible in the stated timeframe to provide to the Board for their thoughtful consideration as they work to determine appropriate action steps. Currently, the target date for proposed action steps is set for October."

For a more in-depth look into the issue dividing communities across the United States, San Angelo LIVE! is premiering a video showcase story that presents both sides of the issue, povides historical context, and looks at the cancel culture as it pertains to the Concho Valley's history. Subscribers to the San Angelo LIVE! Daily Email will be notified when the video report is released this evening. You can subscribe here.