HOUSTON – An advisory committee that was formed following the debate over the name of Robert E. Lee High School has delivered its final report to the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District board of trustees.
“They are going to review the data, review the report and ultimately it’s in the hands of the school board to make the decision as the elected officials for Goose Creek CISD,” said Thomas Parent, chairman of the Facility Names Committee.
Last year, the board decided to keep the school’s name but also decided to create a committee to research and provide feedback on the district’s policy for naming and renaming facilities.
The committee included 42 members who met five times since November.
The committee recommended the board revise its policy for naming, stating the policy should allow for facilities to be named after geographic areas, landmarks or physical attributes, or the instructional focus of the school.
The policy should also include the principal’s legacy and school names should consider the diverse community they serve, the report said.
In the end, the committee only recommended one facility, the Green Center, have its name changed because the name was selected for another school currently being built.
“When we worked on our recommendation, it was split but leaned towards keeping the name of Robert E. Lee High School,” Parent said.
The district also faced questions about who actually served on the committee. The final report includes the names of the committee members.