Dallas ISD to Address School Name Changes, Winter Storm Damages in Thursday Board Meeting

On Thursday, the Dallas ISD board of trustees will decide whether or not to rename three schools named after confederate leaders.

That's just part of a number of issues board members will address in Thursday night’s meeting.

The schools are each named after men with ties to the confederacy.

The campuses are John Ireland Elementary, Sidney Lanier Expressive Arts Vanguard and John H. Reagan Elementary.

John Ireland was a former Texas governor and leader in the Confederate Army. If the proposal passes, the school in his namesake could be renamed after civil rights activist Sylvia Mendez.

Reagan Elementary, named after a Confederate postmaster general, would change to Bishop Arts STEAM Academy.

The school named after Lanier -- a poet and Confederate Army volunteer -- would change to the Jesus Morales Expressive Arts Vanguard, named after a sculptor and former DISD student.

This isn’t the first time the school district has reevaluated schools named after confederate symbols.

Four years ago, DISD changed the names of elementary schools named after Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and William Cabell.

These ongoing rebrandings are part of DISD's equity plan that was discussed in the fall.

In other business, DISD is also addressing damage from the winter storm in February.

The board will discuss and vote on several agenda items that will help them set aside money to pay for repair, supplies, mold damage and other needs.

Some of the adjustments involve budget amendments.

According to district documents, early estimates show winter storm damages of around $8 million. The district stated in those documents that the risk management department is filing an insurance claim. With a $1 million dollar deductible, they expect $7 million to be covered by insurance.

The board of trustees will convene for the school board meeting virtually starting at 6 p.m. You can watch it by clicking here.