Oklahoma City School board to decide on renaming schools

Oklahoma City School Board member Charles Henry speaks about the possibility of renaming four elementary schools named after Confederate leaders during a school board meeting in Oklahoma City.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Oklahoma City School Board will not gather public input before deciding whether to rename three schools that are named for Confederate generals.

The board on Monday adopted an agenda for its next meeting that doesn’t include a recommendation from Superintendent Aurora Lora to survey parents, students and others on whether to rename Lee, Jackson and Stand Watie elementary schools.

Board Chair Paula Lewis told The Oklahoman that board members consistently hear from the community and that the board’s job is to lead.

Lora told KWTV that the board prefers to follow its policy that allows it to change a school’s name “in situations deemed unusual or appropriate.”

Lora said last month following racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, that some facilities named for historical figures do not reflect current values.