JACKSONVILLE, Fla — On the last day of school in Duval County on June 3, students walked out of the doors of Robert E. Lee High School. When classes resume on Aug. 10, they will walk into Riverside High School.
On Wednesday, one of the first visible steps to make the name change transition took place with the removal of "Robert E. Lee" from the signage outside the building.
In May, students, parents, alumni and community stakeholders voted to change the names of six schools named after Confederate leaders. After voting whether to change the name of a school, voters were also asked to vote on what name the school should have instead.
Riverside High School is the name selected to replace the Confederate general's moniker. The Duval County School Board approved the choice June 1.
Duval County Public Schools officials said the name change will officially take effect Aug. 3.
Community activists such as the Northside Coalition played a big part in spreading the word of the voting process and encouraging the school district to change the name of Lee High School and several other schools.
“We don’t think that students should be forced to go to a school, a school named in honor of people who fought to keep us in chains," Northside Coalition President Ben Frazier told First Coast News in May.
The cost of renaming the school is estimated to be $408,302, with funding coming from the following sources:
- Signage/Marquee $15,000/Sponsorship Funds from beverage agreement
- Letterhead $2,000/Private Donations
- Inlaid Gym Floor $30,000/Sponsorship Funds from beverage agreement
- Sports Uniforms -- Home $124,222/Private Donations
- Sports Uniforms -- Away $34,200/Private Donations
- Sports Equipment $84,605/Private Donations
- Band Uniforms $45,000/Sponsorship Funds from beverage agreement
- Flag/Dance Team $15,000/Private Donation
- JROTC Uniforms $8,275/Private Donations
- School Mascot $50,000/Private Donations