In a surprising move, the Shenandoah County school board in Virginia has voted to restore Confederate names to two schools, Mountain View High School and Honey Run Elementary. This decision comes four years after the names were removed amid nationwide protests demanding racial justice. Experts believe it to be the first case of its kind, leading to a significant reversal in the ongoing trend of removing Confederate names and memorials.

The vote took place on Friday, with a majority of 5-1 in favor of renaming Mountain View High School to Stonewall Jackson High School and Honey Run Elementary to Ashby Lee Elementary. This decision overturns the school board's previous ruling in 2020, when Confederate names were being removed from schools and public sites in response to the Black Lives Matter movement.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project, there is no known instance of a school system restoring a Confederate name that was previously removed. Rivka Maizlish, a senior research analyst, explained that while the trend of removing Confederate names and memorials has continued, the pace has slowed since 2020. She noted that nine Army installations named after Confederate leaders have been renamed, and a Confederate memorial was removed from Arlington National Cemetery.

It is worth mentioning that in Virginia, local governments were previously banned from removing Confederate memorials and statues until the law was changed in 2020. However, this statute did not apply to school names. The 2023 elections significantly altered the makeup of the school board, resulting in what has been described as "the first 100% conservative board since anyone can remember."

Those in favor of restoring the Confederate names argue that the previous board disregarded popular sentiment and due process when the names were initially stripped. Gloria Carlineo, a board member, urged opponents to cease bringing racism and prejudice into everything, asserting that it detracts from real cases of racism.

The sole dissenting board member, Kyle Gutshall, expressed his respect for both sides of the debate but believed that the majority of residents in his district desired to keep the Mountain View and Honey Run names. Conversely, longtime resident Beth Ogle contended that restoring the Confederate names indicated a lack of respect and dignity for minority students, faculty, and staff.

Supporters of the decision, such as Kenny Wakeman, a lifelong county resident, argued that the Stonewall Jackson name had stood proudly for 60 years until 2020. Wakeman attributed the name change to the actions of a police officer in Minneapolis, referencing the killing of George Floyd, which sparked nationwide protests against racial injustice.

It is important to note that Stonewall Jackson was a Confederate general known for his involvement in the First Battle of Bull Run and subsequent death in 1863. Another high school in Virginia's Prince William County, previously named after Jackson, was renamed Unity Reed High School in 2020.

Ashby Lee Elementary, on the other hand, was named after both Gen. Robert E. Lee, a Virginia native who commanded Confederate forces, and Turner Ashby, a Confederate cavalry officer killed in battle near Harrisonburg in 1862. Notably, there is already a high school near Harrisonburg named after Ashby.

The resolution passed by the school board stipulates that private donations would fund the name changes. Shenandoah County, a predominantly rural area located approximately 100 miles west of Washington, D.C., has historically been politically conservative. In the 2020 presidential election, former President Donald Trump won 70% of the vote in Shenandoah County, despite President Biden winning the state of Virginia overall by a margin of 10 points.

While it is uncommon for conservative jurisdictions like Shenandoah to remove Confederate names in the first place, the restoration of these names and the broader promotion of Lost Cause propaganda remain points of concern for Rivka Maizlish from the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The restoration of Confederate names to schools in Shenandoah County has ignited renewed debate over the presence and significance of Confederate symbols and their impact on racial equality and justice in America.