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Virginia NAACP Sues School Board Over Reinstated Confederate Names

The lawsuit claims the decision creates a discriminatory environment for Black students, violating their constitutional rights.

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Mountain View High School, which bore the name Stonewall Jackson, the Confederate general, before it was renamed two years ago, in Quicksburg, Va., June 9, 2022. The school was renamed in response to nationwide racial justice protests.The community has been fighting about it ever since. (Eze Amos/The New York Times)
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Overview

  • The Shenandoah County School Board voted to restore Confederate names to two schools, reversing a 2020 decision.
  • The Virginia NAACP and five students argue that the names endorse White supremacy and create a hostile educational environment.
  • The lawsuit alleges violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act.
  • Community reactions are divided, with some supporting the restoration as honoring heritage and others condemning it as discriminatory.
  • The case highlights ongoing national debates over Confederate symbols and their place in public spaces.