The schools, named for Civil War figures (chosen in part by groups like the Daughters of the Confederacy), opened at the height of the civil rights movement in the 1950s & ’60s.
In 2017, Alabama passed the Memorial Preservation Act, which outlaws renaming, removing, or altering memorial buildings more than 40 years old, protecting numerous Confederate-themed monuments.
Montgomery officials paid a $50k fine to institute the new names & mascots at the local high schools.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/montgomery-alabama-confederate-robert-e-lee-b2388011.html
@Incognitim “Our heritage!” BS, erected in the 50s to counter the Civil Rights movement and equal rights. Human bondage and racism for $$, such a proud heritage to promote. Who are these people? 🤔 How about instead some Slavery Museums to illustrate the single largest failure of this Republic and say we are truly sorry for what our ancestors did to you?
@Huntn00
And the fact that the schools had to pay a $50,000 'fine' to NOT be named after treasonous enslavers tells you everything you need to know about how little progress has been made since then.