TYLER — The Rev. Orenthia Mason on Thursday asked that the agenda item to rename Robert E. Lee High School be removed from an upcoming school board meeting.
"We identified with the school but the school district destroyed our Emmett J. Scott High School," Mason said during a 2 p.m. news conference.
"Why should I do the same thing to Robert E. Lee High School and John Tyler High School that was done to us at Emmett J. Scott?
In September, Mason spoke during a school board meeting saying, "It's time for a change."
At that time, Mason noted that she attended a school that no longer exists — the segregated Emmett Scott High School.
"If you went there, Emmett Scott lives on in your heart," she said. "You can't take Robert E. Lee out of a student's heart."
On Thursday, she asked that the agenda item to rename Robert E. Lee High School be removed from an upcoming school board meeting.
"We identified with the school but the school district destroyed our Emmett J. Scott High School," Mason said during a 2 p.m. news conference.
"Why should I do the same thing to Robert E. Lee High School and John Tyler High School that was done to us at Emmett J. Scott?
"I would not take away the names of Robert E. Lee and John Tyler High School."
She said her priority is making sure students are educated well.
"As a school board member and former educator, my concern is about whether or not our students are receiving a quality education at Robert E. Lee and John Tyler High School," Mason said. "My priority is onto the names of the schools my priority is that the students are achieving."
School board member Andy Bergfeld says the board has received 61 comments during a public meeting on the issue, deliberated in a public session, and received hundreds of emails and phone calls.
"We have considered this item as long and as much as anyone could."
"It's time for us to move forward and focus on all the members that bring us together and not divide us," Bergfeld added.
Mason, during questioning after her prepared remarks, said she changed her mind on how she felt about the issue after having had thoughtful discussions with others.
In September, Mason said, "It's time for a change."
She said issues affecting her change of heart included listening to the discussion about financial considerations associated with the name change Monday and listening to African-American students who attended and graduated from Robert E. Lee High School.
The news comes after Board President Fritz Hager Jr. issued a statement on the matter to media outlets Wednesday evening.
In that statement, Hager said the board takes the responsibility of stewarding taxpayer funds seriously and a study took at the real costs of phasing in the name change was ordered.
“The costs for the phased in change were significantly higher than I expected and I’ve asked for additional information from the district to determine if there is a more cost effective way to phase in a potential change, should the board opt to make one,” his statement read.
Hager said, if approved, the name change project would compete against other projects in the district for funding.
“The costs presented by the district would significantly impact my support for any future name-change after this renovation window closes,” Hager said.
