RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia city is rebranding its only school named after a Confederate general to honor the United States’ first black president.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports the Richmond School Board voted 6-1 Monday night to rename J.E.B. Stuart Elementary School to Barack Obama Elementary School.
Kenya Gibson represents the school on the board and was the lone dissenting vote. Gibson wanted the vote to be delayed and said there was a lack of local names included in the administration’s rebranding recommendations.
The Richmond City School Board revealed the top three possible names earlier. Northside, Barack Obama and Wishtree took the majority of votes from the students, knocking aside suggestions such as John Adams Elementary and Jackie Robinson Elementary.
#BREAKING #RPSBoard votes to rename JEB Stuart Elementary as @BarackObama Elementary School – students helped choose out of 7 finalists. Vote was not unanimous 6-1 @CBS6 pic.twitter.com/cpm9iKnmZH
— Brendan King CBS 6 (@ImBrendanKing) June 19, 2018
The board estimates it will cost about $26,000 to rename the school.
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