Fairfax County School Board votes to change name of elementary school named after Confederate army commander

FAIRFAX, Va. - A northern Virginia school named for a Confederate army commander will change its name.

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The Fairfax County School Board voted Thursday to change the name of Mosby Woods Elementary School.

The school, named after Confederate John Singleton Mosby, will be renamed before the start of the 2021-2022 school year.

"The proposed name-change for Mosby Woods Elementary School received broad support from the community during the public engagement process," said Karl Frisch, Providence District representative on the Fairfax County School Board. "In the FCPS strategic plan, we commit to fostering a responsive, caring, and inclusive culture. We cannot live up to that standard when students attend schools named in honor of the racist vestiges of our past. Simply put -- a school system that honors the Confederacy cannot honor Black lives."

Superintendent Scott Brabrand will present the School Board with potential names to consider at its October 22nd meeting. A community meeting will be held on November 30th, followed by a School Board public hearing on December 2nd. The Board will then vote on a new name at its meeting on December 3rd.