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Protesters demand Tyler ISD to change name of Robert E. Lee High School during board meeting

In 2018, there was another effort to change the school's name, which failed after no one seconded the motion at the school board meeting.

For the second time in three years, there is a push to change the name of Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler. 

On Monday, between 250 to 300 protesters gathered outside the Tyler ISD Administration Office to urge the Tyler ISD Board of Trustees to change the school's name.

The protesters held up signs while organizers spoke to the crowd using a megaphone. Volunteers helped to pass out water while others helped protesters register to vote.

While the board did not list a potential name change on the agenda, some of those in the crowd went into the board meeting to urge the board to address the issue. Many of the protesters remained outside throughout the meeting.

Following the meeting, school board member Aaron Martinez briefly walked over to the crowd and spoke to some of the protesters. The crowd applauded him for spending time with them.

Afterward, the protesters marched to the other side of the parking lot and chanted at the school board members as they came outside. 

This most recent push comes in the aftermath of high profile deaths of Black men and women at the hands of police, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and the ensuing protests. Since the deaths of Floyd and Taylor, numerous statues of Confederate leaders from Alabama to Washington DC have been torn down. 

On June 5, a petition appeared on Change.org urging the Tyler ISD School Board to renamed the school. Since the petition started, more than nearly 10,000 people have signed the petition. 

Four days later, a competing petition appeared on Change.org urging the district to keep the name. That petition has just over 2,000 signatures. 

The school board briefly addressed the issue at the last meeting. However, it was not an agenda item for Monday's meeting.

RELATED: TISD school board addresses Robert E. Lee name change petition

"People, well especially Black Tylerites, have been pushing for the name to be changed since the 60's," student Mary Calireneal said. 

The board released the following statement: 

"We as a board are well aware of the issues surrounding the names of both of our flagship high schools. We have heard from, and anticipate hearing more, from the community on the subject. This time in between school years will hopefully be used to discuss, and find both consensus and meaningful resolution in a unified manner. 

Our thoughts on this matter will be limited to future board meetings where this topic is on the agenda, and of course during our conversations with community members."

The school's name was at the center of a similar movement in 2018.

 After weeks of public debate, the school board met on August 5 to vote.

RELATED: Motion to change name of Robert E. Lee High School fails, no vote held

During the meeting, all the members of the board gave passionate schools concerning the name change. Afterward, school board member Aaron Martinez formally introduced a motion to rename Robert E. Lee High School. However, no member of the board would second the motion, making the motion dead.

"The fact that they didn't vote on it feels like they didn't even take it into consideration," student Niguson Knight said.

"I don't want to go to a school that doesn't like support our culture," student Trude Lamb said.

If the school board voted to change the school's name, it would cost the district about $1 million.

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