On Sept. 11 last year, the Columbia Board of Education voted to assemble a committee to consider renaming Robert E. Lee Elementary School. Throughout April, the committee accepted name ideas from the community and plans to present their recommendation to the Board of Education at the upcoming May 14 board meeting.
“The committee has developed an evaluation process for considering names submitted by the public,” Columbia Public Schools Director of Community Relations Michelle Baumstark said.  “Submissions will be evaluated on a 100-point scale, with each scoring category weighted as follows: One, meets the mission of the school – 45 points. Two, easily identifiable with the school – 25 points. Three, historical significance – 15 points. Four, geographical relevance – 10 points. Five, contributions to Columbia and/or Columbia Public Schools – 5 points.”
The personal meaning of the name Lee is variable throughout America. RBHS history teacher Chris Fischer notes the duality of Lee’s connection to United States history.
“General Lee is seen by a lot of people as; he’s a hero, he’s a villain,” Fischer said. “He’s the king of juxtaposition. He led a treasonous revolt against the United States Constitution but he also embodied twentieth-century states rights and the struggle for freedom for secessionist America.”
This individual divide finds itself prevalent within the RBHS student body. Sophomore Sami Alexander recalls her elementary experience at Mary Paxton Keeley Elementary as reason for change at Lee Elementary.