WASHINGTON — In July, the Fairfax County School Board voted to change the name of J.E.B. Stuart High School, named after a Confederate military leader, after heated debates over the issue by community members.
On Saturday morning, residents weighed in on what they want the school to be renamed. At the high school’s auditorium, community members submitted name suggestions for the school.
Some talked about their name suggestions and expressed why they think their suggestion should become the new name for the school.
Those names will be voted on next Saturday, Sept. 16 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but only by residents who live in the high school’s attendance area. Fairfax County Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Steve Lockard said the results will be given to the superintendent and will also be publicized for the community to see.
Lockard said the superintendent Dr. Scott Brabrand will take one or two of those recommended names to the school board. The school board will then have a work session before its Oct. 26 meeting, when it will make a final decision on the name.
Lockard says the name change could cost about $600,000, but that is just a rough estimate depending on how quickly they make the change and other factors. He said they are looking at alternate sources of funding, including private funding.
