8/12/2025 MIDLAND ISD SPECIAL BOARD MEETING

001it. The time is now 5:30 on August 12th, 2025. This meeting of the Midland Independent Board of Trustees is now duly open for any transaction business or any matters that may be properly presented. call of Miss Burlson. I believe she's going to she's in right. So, all seven members are present. One uh Zoom or technology, Miss Burlson. Uh so, we're all here. Uh verification and compliance with open meetings law. This is certified that the provisions of section 551.01 of the Texas government code have been met in connection with public notice of this meeting. Before we start the public forum, um, Miss Messi, if you would lead us in a moment of silence and the pledges, please. And now for our pledges. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to

002the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible. Thank you'all very much. Um, moving on to agenda item number three, public forum. Mr. Handis, if you will call the first speaker, remember please no foul language or what have you in this forum. Save that for social media. Thank you. It's three minutes. Our first speaker will be Hakez Anders. >> Hello, my name is Anders. I am running to express my views on the name changing to Legacy High School. The name being changed to Legacy High School sparked a change for the future. We all know the history behind Lee and it is not a good history. This name was given to

003this school back in the times of segregation and during the times of racial conflict. We as a people should not want to go back to the old ways. We as a people should want to move forward. What will be taught to this generation by changing the name back to Lee that represented white supremacy. This is 2025 and it should be treated as such. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, the Black Panther Party, Harriet Tubman, etc., just to name a few, fought for equality. We all should be equal and no race should be greater than the other. We all came from one God who created all of us and who loves all of us. We should all do the same. I have four children in MISD and they matter. My children along with other

004children should not be forced to look at the name Lee above their school. They should not see the letters that represent white supremacy and segregation. The name being changed to legacy sparked a movement for change. We should be proud of that. Someone took a stand for right. Let's continue this stand by upholding the name Legacy High, not Lee High. We should show all children who attend MISD or who may attend MISD that they matter. A lot of people who are opposing this name no longer have children in MISD, went to lead back in segregated times and are people who want to keep division going. Please do not give him that satisfaction and power. Why go back to old times and ways? We need to move forward and show a good example to all of our

005children. As long as I have children in MISD, I will continue to fight for rights. I will never stop. My children matter. My children should be loved. My children should be valued. My black children matter as well as other children should be loved and should be valued. This letter is for my four children, Michaela, Kiana, Kiara, and Jeremiah, who are all students of MISD. And this letter is for all children of MISD. We have to be the change. We have to be the movement. If you are going to be on this school board, do the right thing. You were voted here to do the right thing, not to cause racial conflict and segregation. Thank you. Our [Applause] next speaker is Taylor Daly. Hi, good evening. My name is Taylor Daly. I'm a product of MISD,

006having attended kindergarten through 12th grade here. Dr. How was my principal and I'm proud to currently teach within the same district that taught me. Tonight we're going to hear suggestions and of reasons why the name Legacy High School should be changed to Lee High School. The Robert E has been very clutterly omitted. But of course, we know this partic where this particular Lee originates from and the drafters and supporters of this change know too because many of them openly claim the name needs to be reverted back to preserve history. So for some context of that history we're dealing with, I'll provide it. Roberty Lee, who the school was originally named after, was a Confederate general and the Confederacy lost to the Union and the Confederacy existed for only four years. That is five years skewer

007than I have personally been in education. Two years fewer than I attended Project Think and Gym as a student. The name change to Legacy High School has already existed longer than the Confederacy did. The fight they are once again picking tonight. The circus has literally outlasted the Confederacy. The Confederates didn't even care about the Confederacy as much as these people do. The supporters of this change are not fooling anyone in omitting Robert E. We all know who this school would potentially be named for and who it was named for. That's why they're here. That's why this matters to them. And that's why I'm standing here and saying this to everyone. The history and tradition that they're talking about was a phase in American life that was stamped out and eradicated by and in favor of

008decency. It's easy to see the supporters of changing legacies name again are following the trend of our current federal administration renaming buildings and vessels like the USNS Harvey Milk. But even Harvey Mil's service in the United States Navy alone rivals the length of the Confederacy and it would have easily outlived it too and possibly even Robert E. Lee's on military service at that. But if I mention in my US history class why it didn't, the reason Harvey Mick was forced out of the military or I display a flag honoring his history, I'd have parents quick to accuse me of attempting to indoctrinate my students. Yet the same people who would point the finger at me claiming I would be pushing an agenda are here tonight demanding that we hear their political agenda. That our MIST

009students, my MIST students who are able to be educated because the Confederacy was defeated should be forced to see and bear the name of a man who stood against brotherhood, integration, and decency plastered in our district buses on school uniforms and diplomas for the sake of history. That's shameful. They can't have it both ways. This is not what MISD stands for. I did not recite the pledge every school morning for 13 years of my life to accept anything less than liberty and justice for all. I did not immediately after recite my elementary school motto every morning to forget it when I became an adult with an MIS myself. I value what Sam Houston Elementary instilled in me every day then and now. Our school motto was I will treat others the way I want to

010be treated and I will always do my best. Please show the same moral character MISD expected of me then as a child that we expect of you now as our leaders. >> Thank you. our next speaker, Alan Stanglin. President Hodes, Dr. Howard, school board trustees. I'm grateful for this opportunity to speak with you in this setting. I'd like to address something that I've heard several times over the last couple of months, and that is that this move to rename the high school back to Lee is not racially motivated. And so, African-Americans in our community are not going to see it as racist. Black people in Midland are not going to be offended by this name because they don't really care. And my question for the board is who would they complain to? Minorities, by the

011very definition of the word, African-Americans, Hispanics, minorities do not experience an equal status. The playing field is not level in our city. African-Americans make up less than 8% of our population. So, they're marginalized. Who would they complain to? What would they possibly say? What choice do they have? The fact is they have complained. They are complaining. They have expressed their disgust with this name. They do speak often about what the name Lee communicates to them and how it makes them feel. Scripture says, "Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody." In that same Romans 12 context, the Bible says, "Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud." It says, "But be willing to associate with people of low position, people who don't enjoy the same status or numbers or

012power." Christians treat others the way we want to be treated. We love our neighbors as ourselves. Christians who are seeking the attitude or the mind of Christ consider the needs of others more important than our own. So my question for Christians who want to change the name back to Lee is, if you know how African-Americans read that name, why would you argue for it? If you know the name and the symbols associated with it make minorities feel vulnerable and oppressed, why would you insist? Why would you fight with your words and your good name for a name you know causes pain? I'm not appealing to you as schoolboard members as much as fellow Christians. Slippery slope arguments about erasing history and heritage are totally missing the point. The question is, will you love your neighbor

013more than you love a school name? Will you love your neighbor more than you love the history and the heritage of the South? Will you love the AfricanAmerican men and women of our community more than you love the faded out words on your 25-year-old high school diploma? Here in Midland, we're known as a people of great generosity. I humbly request you leave the name the way it is for the sake of time. Thank you. >> For the love of others that feels like a legacy we can all embrace. [Applause] Our next speaker is Adam Reed. Adam Reed. I am the father of four boys, the oldest of which is attending Legacy Freshman next week. And I will have a kid in leg legacy high school for the next decade. Today there are two sides arguing

014those arguing for least reasons of tradition and ironically legacy. Those arguing to keep the name legacy do so for morality. Sure, over the years, Lehi has been a prominent uh name in our community and at large for academics and athletics. No one can and will take those accomplishments away from past grads. However, the school name should have never been Lee in the first place. And to continue to operate under that name solely based on tradition and warm feelings is immoral. First, General Lee was an incredible tactician that should be studied in school. But if we properly educate our community, it is equally important to learn other facts such as uh one of General Lee's slaves, Wesley Norris, who said, "When they were punished, Lee was not satisfied with simply lacerating our naked flesh." General Lee

015then ordered the overseer to thoroughly wash our backs with brine, which was done. Lee also wrote that wherever you find the n-word, everything is going down around him. and wherever you find a white man, you see everything around him improving. He also wrote, "You will never prosper with blacks, and it is abhorrent to a reflecting mind to be supporting and cherishing those who are plotting and working for your injury." In 1961, Midland was forced to desegregate our schools. So, we opened a new school. That new school could have been named Anything, but it was named after General Lee as a middle finger to all people of color. And as an attempt to remind them who's still in charge. When we changed the school's name to Legacy, we writed that wrong. We showed our community and

016those watching from the outside and our kids that we cared more about people than tradition. To go back down would be an emotional folly that would create a negative spotlight on our community. I recommend that we keep the name legacy. However, if we must change the name, I recommend that we restore the name of Carver High School since its traditions and history were stolen first and it brought the first ever state championships of any kind to Midland. Lastly, I want to remind everyone here, most who would identify as Christians, that Philippians 2 calls us to in humility value others above yourselves. not looking to your own interest, but each of you to the interest of others. You might be like I was years ago, having no problem with the name and traditions of Lehi. However,

017to many others in this community, that is not the case. And so, I am proud to have listened and now stand beside them to unify as a voice to uphold morality over tradition in our community. When we know better, we should do better. >> Thank you. [Applause] Thank you. Next, Christian Shedwin. >> Christian Shedwin. Good evening. My name is Christian Sedwin. I am a 2019 graduate of Robert E. High School. After graduating, I came back to the district and taught fourth grade math and science and later eighth grade ELA. When I finished college, I'm coming back again to teach choir right here in MISD. I'm speaking tonight because I refused to watch this district that molded me make one of the most shameful decisions in its history. Let's start with the truth. The name Robert

018Ed High School was not a proud tradition. It was chosen in the 1960s as retaliation to the integration of schools, a clear message that black students will be allowed in but never truly welcome. This is the same school where a predominantly black football team played under the shadow of a Confederate flag while the band blasted Dixie as a battlecry. That is not heritage. That was humiliation. Now you want to bring that name back or hide it behind Lee High School. That's a dog whistle and we hear it loud, clear, and ugly. To even suggest this change is not just misguided. It's a slap in the face to every black student, parent, teacher, counselor, staff, and community member who has walked through those doors. It's a slap in the face to Dr. Vla M. Coleman, the

019first black female position in Midland. A woman who integrated hospitals, sued to dismantle segregated schools, and built clinics for mothers who had nowhere else to go. Her name is on the high school because she earned it through courage and service. It's a slap in the face to Barbara B. Yarbor who began teaching here in 1959, navigating the storm of desegregation with love and steadfastness. She mentored generations of students, building trust across racial divides when few others even tried. We name an elementary school after her because she stood for unity. And you're telling me we can honor those women while also honoring a man who fought to keep them and people like them in change? That's not balance. That's hypocrisy. That spits on their legacy while pretending to polish them. The board's decision in 2020 to

020rename the school Legacy High School was a turning point. It told the world, "We are better than our past. We are moving forward." To dig up those old bones now, to exume the very name that was a monument to exclusion is not just selfish, it is disgraceful. And I want to be clear, this is not to be remembered as just a name change. This will be remembered as the moment you taught every black child in this district that their belonging is conditional, that progress here is temporary, and that equality can be rolled back when it's politically convenient. You cannot teach history honestly while celebrating those who fought against equality. You cannot claim to value diversity while reinstating a name rooted in segregation and oppression. Keep the name Legacy High School. Build on a legacy worth

021being proud of. Do not let history remember you as the board who dragged Mid Midland back into the shadows after we fought so hard to step into the light. If you vote to bring this name back, history will remember exactly where you stood. And so will we. Your legacy will not be on that building. It will be the stain you put on this district. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next. Our next speaker is John Norman. [Music] [Applause] John Norman. >> I'm sorry. Who's Who's calling these names? Cuz you're missing somebody. >> I'm sorry. >> I was number four. >> Number four. >> I'm sorry. >> Thank you so much. >> Karen Ortega. I'm sorry. >> Mr. Norman, if you would please have a seat. >> Mr. Norman, you're on deck. You're on deck. >> I'm

022on deck or Mr. Norman's on deck. >> Oh, okay. Sorry. >> All righty. Hi there. I'm Quinn Ortega. I attended Midland Public Schools from preK to senior year and I'm now a student at the University of Texas at Austin. I work at a child development center located at our state's capital and my sister's a bilingual MCL at Henderson. So, I know MISD. I'm here today because I value community and the well-being of future generations. Last month, in an effort to seemingly inspire division and cultivate a culture of hatred, trustee Josh Gwyn announced on Facebook, really professional, by the way, um that he would seek to rename the current legacy campus and future campus in West Midland to Midland Lee High School, a nod to the original name Lee High School, Robert E. Lee High School,

023which the board changed in 2020. We can pretend it's not a nod to the original name, but we all know the truth. Let's talk about Roberty Lee. Here's the truth. According to Bratonica, the National Park Service, and numerous reputable sources, Lee owned 10 to 15 enslaved people during his lifetime. As executive of his father's will, he freed within a 5-year period nearly 200 enslaved people. But he's far from a hero. In the late 1850s, he imposed a harsh a harsher work regime for the enslaved people than had been in place under his father-in-law. and he was accused of cruelty as was previously mentioned um towards people who ran away and were supposed to be liberated by his father-in-law's will. He condoned whipping for infractions in his rules and he was a clear white supremacist. We

024cannot name a place of education for children of all races after an obvious racist. It's morally corrupt. I also hate to break it to you guys, but the Confederacy lost. They lost. They were losers. Robert E. Lee was a coward, a traitor to our nation, and a loser. Mr. Gwyn, I read your statement released on the 4th of July regarding this. This tradition, this heritage, this patriotism you want so badly to protect is based in a fundamental violation of human rights. Maybe it's difficult for you to believe this, but enslaved people were human beings with thoughts and feelings and families and interests, and Robert E. Lee thought he could own them. The legacy you want to honor is one is not just one of glory days of high school. is one of two centuries of

025rape, violence, exploitation, and systematic oppression. You and anyone else who praises the name of Roberty Lee is unabashedly racist. And to those who support the return to Lee, I'm sorry to be the one to say this, but grow up. You are nostalgic for an age that is never going to return. Those high school days are over. It's okay. Move on. Allow space for a brighter future. So unless you're talking about Spike Lee, the acclaimed director of Do the Right Thing and maybe Bruce Lee, everybody in this room was named after. >> Stop. Ma'am, you can continue from naming the new camp. >> Turn her mic off. You're done. [Applause] Hey everyone in this room, settle down. Order. This is a public meeting. This is an emotional topic. Everybody is going to be polite to each

026other and has the right to come up here and speak. And if you do not abide by those rules, I will have law enforcement clear everyone and deal with the consequences later. Everyone is going to be kind and have the opportunity to speak their mind and their heart. Are we clear? >> Thank you. >> Mr. Norman, I think you're next. >> Mr. President, I want to apologize to Miss Ortega. Our page was stuck to another page and we just >> we turned it over. >> Don't worry. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Norman. Please. [Applause] All right. It's a little decor. Is that right, President? I just uh president of trustees uh Dr. Howard, members of the community, thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is John Norman, Robert E. Lee High School, class

027of 1997. I lettered in our awesome corral and origin choir. I was also a three sport athlete here and an all-American in football. My senior year, I chose to continue my education and career at Texas Tech. I've been blessed to travel our country and the world, but Midland is home. Since returning to Midland, I've worked with more than 4,000 youth across the Peran Basin, and I'm honored to serve as a member on our city council. This year, I was inducted into the Texas Football High School Hall of Fame. I share that not to boast. But to make one point clear, I carry our history with me. I honor it. And because I honor it, I believe the name should remain legacy. Legacy does not erase where we came from. It recognizes a story in its

028entirety. The victories and the lessons, the pride and the progress. One's legacy is the totality of who we are. Not just the good and not just the bad. Legacy is big enough to hold our past like we do every year on the football field since its inception with this year being team 65 and bold enough to point us forward. This is a perfect example of how we can honor alumni like Cedric Benson, Eric Winston, Michael Williams, Susie Graham, Dr. John Thurman, Monica Tucker, and yes, even John Norman, who graduated under the old name and still keep a name that reflects the values we want to teach. Discipline, trust, respect, hard work, integrity, and accountability. Our students deserve a banner that invites everyone in, a name that unites rather than reopens old divides. We can honor

029alumni who graduated under the old name and still give today's students a standard that they can wear with pride. Let the work we do define our legacy. Supporting teachers, lifting students achievements, and expanding opportunities for every kid who walks in these halls. For these reasons, I respectfully and strongly object to changing the name back to Midland Lee. keep the name legacy and let our students write the next great chapter under it. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman Norman. Next, our next speaker is Sue Roseberry. >> What did you say? >> Sue Roseberry. to all the members of the school board, to Dr. Howard, and everyone that is present. I hate to have my back to y'all because I'm coming from church and I like the look in your face, but I moved to Midland in 1981

030from Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was simultaneously impressed by the strong support of football in West Texas and appalled that the cruelty of a period of time in our nation's history had been romanticized, branded, and celebrated in our school system with such audacity. My initial thoughts were perhaps they don't know how much it hurts some of our students to have the band strike up and play Dixie. Perhaps they don't have students who cringe every time the Confederate flag is waved with such passion and feel ashamed and reminded that it's possible to hate somebody because of the color of their skin. I have raised both of my daughters and all of my grandchildren and most of them with the exception of Charles attended school on Neely. As much as we want to say to the world that

031we are better than that, we have to make certain that our actions match our intent. We have progressed and we want what is best for all of our students. But it becomes hollow rhetoric when we make moves to shackle ourselves to things that hurt and divide us. I am proud to be a citizen of Midland. And while we have our problems, more often than not, I feel that our community wants to get it right. I get it. Some of you have past achievements that are associated with the name Lee. But I want you to recognize that you can have a future achievement that is associated with something that uplifts all of our students. I want us to be proud of the fact that we stood by a decision to retain a name for our educational

032facility that uplifts all of our kids. That is the legacy pundefinitely intended that I want to make a reality for all of our students. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, ma'am. Our next speaker is Daniel Harris. Daniel Harris. Height adjustment on the microphone here. It is a painful experience when people feel that their voices cannot be heard. To be excluded, dismissed, disregarded, and disrespected is an experience none of us desires. Yet, history shows we human beings give that experience to one another with tragic regularity. The reporter Telegram's recent poll cited a frequent sentiment among Lee alumni that they felt disregarded and disrespected by the 2020 name change. But history also shows that minority populations in Midland and across the nation have often found themselves on unequal footing when seeking to be genuinely heard, included,

033and respected. If that were not so, there would have been no need for Brown versus Board of Education in 1954, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, United States versus Midland ISD in 1970, or LUAC versus Midland ISD in 1985. If we had always listened well to one another, there would likely have been no renaming debate in 2020, nor any need for this meeting tonight, because in 1961, we would not have gone along with the trend of resistance to desegregation by choosing Lee as our school's name. In light of our present difficulties in hearing one another, shaped as they are by our past, I offer two requests for all of us as a community and especially for you seven trustees. First recognize that almost nothing in our cultural momentum encourages

034us to listen well to those who are different from us. We must choose against the grain to listen with patience and humility. Second, those who are in the cultural majority must also be attentive to the parts of the history we have too easily forgotten or dismissed by assuring ourselves that we have never intended to discriminate. Our record glaring with the results of our federal court cases on desegregation through the 50s, 60s, and 70s and trustee elections in the 80s raises a serious caution flag. Now in the 2020s, we must ask, are we breaking from previous patterns or are we just repeating them in a modified form? The weight of the historical evidence suggests that reverting to the name Lee in any form is a repetition of the old pattern. Trustees who believe otherwise must explain

035why our history of discrimination documented in federal court cases should be anything other than a primary consideration in this decision. Without the substantive explanation of this, trustees should choose the path that breaks from our past patterns and retain the current name of Legacy High School. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is going to be Barbara Hanley. Barbara Hanley. Good evening. My name is Barbara Handley and I taught in MISD for 28 years. I'm here this evening to read a statement written by April Graham who is a Robert E. Lee graduate. She writes, "The change to legacy has already been decided and enacted. To go back now is a waste of time and money and only serves to divide the community further. Let the old name die. It was an intentional slap in the face

036to to the desegregation efforts of the civil rights movement in the 1960s and carries a lot of pain with it for a lot of people. As a proud alumni who was a national merit scholar and a drum major and a former teacher at LHS as well, I was pleased to see Midland take the step to change the name a few years ago. Don't go backwards now. Keep legacy as the name and focus on actually improving the educational experience of our students. [Applause] >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Steve Shore. Steve Shore. Members of the school board, uh Dr. Howard, we appreciate your service in this challenging area of our community life. Um I am here for my concern, my overall concern is for the well-being of our community and our schools definitely impact our

037whole community. So, I want to simply um well recognize that I'm entering into a conversation that's been going on for a very very long time and that we are reiterating this after what we did five years ago. None. Nonetheless, I would just simply remind you of what everybody in this room already knows. Words matter and names matter. With our words, we can help, we can encourage, we can build up. With our words, we can harm, we can wound, we can belittle. Names are even a little bit more complicated than that. With our names comes the whole history of that particular person and all that comes with them. Our names can inspire us to become something more than we are. They can also entrench us in the past. A very wise person once wrote this that

038our words um with our words we usher both blessing and cursing. This person then went on to say with our tongues with our words we praise our Lord and we also from those same tongues curse other human beings who have been made in God's likeness. This should not be said James. We should consider this very carefully. Whether we like it or not, the name Roberty Lee is profoundly associated with the curse of slavery. While there were many admirable things about Roberty Lee, he did support the legality of slavery. He held slaves. And even after the war, while accepting the termination of slavery provided by the 13th amendment amendment, he still opposed racial equality for African-Americans. Herein lies the danger of naming after a person. It comes with a whole mixed history of profoundly flawed human

039beings. Our tendency to make in this day and age somebody an icon is just this close to idolatry. We should be very very careful. On the other hand, the word legacy, you can all look this up for yourself. It is defined as the longlasting impact of particular events and actions that took place in the past or a person's life. This strikes me as a much better way to inspire current and future students. They are part of a legacy. They are building a legacy. They are learning the usually complex and nuanced legacy of people from our past and our present. Even people like Robert E. Lee and people like you. This is >> time sir. >> Thank you to say let's keep legacy. Our next speaker is Tammy Vot. Tammy Vot. V A U G Ht.

040Good evening. My name is Tammy Bot. I'm a 14-year resident of Midland, wife and mother of two school age children, one of which will be entering high school next year. I actually grew up in St. Angelo, and back then, my central Bobcats were a huge rival of the high school that we're talking about tonight. So, trust me, I know how much pride people carry in their school name and how hard it is to change that. I'm also a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and the owner of Vitality Psychiatric Services here in Midland. And tonight I'm speaking through my professional lens. In my private practice, I work closely with young people and I see every day how environmental stress and instability impact their mental health. Teenagers are in a crucial stage of forming their identity. They

041need stability and belonging to thrive. Over the past five years, our students have adapted to the Legacy High School name, built traditions, and tied their school pride to it. Our seniors have spent their high school career as legacy rebels. Reversing the name now risks shaking that foundation, creating confusion, tension, and unnecessary stress. Research is clear that stability, predictability, and a sense of belonging are protective factors for adolescent mental health. Additionally, the CDC reports that nearly 40% of black high school students have experienced racism at school and those students are significantly more likely to experience persistent sadness and hopelessness. Changing the school name again, especially in a way that could be perceived as erasing progress toward inclusion, risks compounding that harm. I have personally visited with black students in our district who already feel the sting

042of discrimination. For them, this change wouldn't just be a name. It could be felt as a step backwards, a signal that their sense of safety and inclusion is negotiable, deepening feelings of isolation and harming mental health in ways that could linger for years. It's a message that says your mental health is not of my concern and I am sure that this kind of message is not something that any of you would want to put on our young students. And when a name change becomes a public controversy, attention doesn't stay in this room. It spills into the classrooms, cafeteria, locker rooms, students end up pressured to take sides in the conflict they didn't create nor want, which fosters division and even bullying. The public controversy will not stop here in Midland. A decision like this will

043shape how our community is viewed across the nation. Please think of the mental health of our students. It must come first and it's important. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, our next speaker is Carrie McNeel. Carrie McNeel. Thank you. Good afternoon. I want to speak to you today on what I call rebel nation and that's all over this this lobby. We don't want to waste your time tonight by flood letting you the speakers and re litigating the debate of 2020. We speak with you as one voice and represent the majority of Midland who told the past school board via MISB's online suggestion poll numerous news organization polls and including recent MRT poll was having it at about 75%. A local petition was collected with over 3,500 signatures locally that we wanted the high school to

044be Midland. Who is Rebel Nation? I'll start with we're not racist and we're not confederates. We're students with 63 years of alumni who learned, competed, and brought home alolades for our school. We are parents, grandparents, boosters, financial donors, volunteers, and people who have worked hard to support this school. We are essentially family. We would like to see the school board affirm the work of the 2020 renaming committee. We do believe that so corrects the way we feel. The naming committee was a bipartisan group that worked very very hard on both sides of that argument and they collectively came together and submitted a name to that board and that was Midland. It was disregarded and legacy was selected instead. Midland is a remarkable part of our Midland's history. Generations of Midlanders have attended Midland Way. So,

045I'm not here to fight for a dead man and his legacy because that means nothing to me. I didn't know him. Don't mean anything about him. No, don't. That's not true. Let me rephrase that. We've I've read about him. I don't know him personally. He's not my thing. What I'm asking for and what I'm asking for all of you to do is to consider part of our history, Midland's history. And that's why we've specifically not asked for the Robert E. portion. Midland is who we are. really use how we're recognized throughout this community and across the state. It doesn't matter if it's band, football, golf, robotics, speech, mig means something to a lot of people. And while some people feel a certain way, I understand that there's a lot of us, clearly 75% of us

046that would love to receive me. So, I thank you for your time and consideration. [Applause] Thank you. Next, our next speaker is Jim Ford. Jim Ford. Okay, President Hodges, schoolboard members, Dr. Howard. My name is Jim Ford. I'm a 37year Midland resident and lifelong supporter of high school football and now Midland League. My first story is about the 2000 edition of Texas Football Magazine. The following is a direct quote from an article about that edition. Frederick Benson appeared on the cover of Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine in 2000. This was the first time a high school player was featured on the cover. The writer specifically refugees Midland High School. I was thrilled the day I got Cedric to sign my copy, a treasure in my collection. Additional stories I recall about Lee were during the

0471998, 1999, and 2000 campaign when Midland Lee High School won three consecutive state championships. do not recall ever hearing the word other than Mith and Lee or just Lee. Witnessing only great games, but the thrill of watching not only witnessing great games, but the thrill of watching and excitement from the fans and student body, playing the fourpack stadiums, traveling all over the state into Monroe, Louisiana. As a newspaper writer once said, a good time was had by all. Other than football, let us not forget year in and year out state and nationally recognized Mighty Rebel Band. Mr. Randy Story spent 34 years leading the band. His leadership was greater than life. The lead choir for years was led by Mrs. Paula Edwards. The success of students under other instructors are far too many to name

048at this time. It would be unfair not to acknowledge world leaders in First Lady Laura Bush and US General Tommy French. All Lee students. Additional football stories I'd like to share with you. My apologize apologies to those I might have left off this list. Cedric Benson, the name states greatness. What a shame we've lost him. Eric Winston, started in over 100 NFL game, NFL player association president, 2014 to 2020. John Norman, 2025 inductee into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame. That's this year, I understand. Joe Joe Norman, Texas defensive player of the year. Kobe Kendrick played football at Air Force Academy. KC Jones play at Miami. Junior Miller, 1975 Texas football super team, two times Big Eight first team and consensus all-America 1979 and seventh overall pick in the 1980 NFL draft. The

049story, success, and events were all created. Sir, I'm sorry. Time. >> Thank you. >> Next speaker, Dr. John and Mrs. McAfee. to the board. Dr. Howard, my wife and I, I want to thank you for this opportunity to be able to speak on tonight. I appreciate all those who have come before us to respect every particular opinion that has been presented. But I also was kind of aroused in reading a lot of comments on social media infirmed that the individuals who were trying to hold on to the name of legacy were woke. >> And you know I agree with you. I'm with you. I'm very much awoke >> because of the fact that the Bible teaches me to be awake. Isaiah tells me 521, awake awake. 1 Thessalonians 5:6 says, uh, there let us not

050sleep, uh, as do others, but let us watch and be sober. Jeremiah 31-6 26 says and after that I awoke on banks who look for me at my sleep was pleasing to me and that is because of the fact that the reason I'm here I can sleep good once I come before you because I'm trying to make sure you all do the right thing I'm going to be off just a little bit different before I give you my last verse and I'm going to watch the We're debating about name change. If this board is that interested in name changes and reflecting the value in the names of others, then I'm going to tell you that 43% of this particular city according to the 2020 census are becoming 44.9 are white. But yet only 11.32% of

051students in MISD schools are white. 41%.6% of students in percent of the people I mean are white but 60.4% of the students in MISD are white. black upcoming Hispanic uh black population one 7.5% and 8.6 in MISD others 6% and 3.24%. If you're interested in doing anything, let's take care of your Hispanic. Only one out of 40 schools in this district came up for Hispanics. And I'm going to say my last proverb come in from second Peter. The true power of a dog was turned to his own bunny and the style that had been washed been turned to his own. >> Sorry sir. Time I appreciate that. I respect that I'm gone cuz that's everything I need to say. Our [Applause] next speaker is Mary Lambeath. Mary Lambbeath. I'm speaking tonight for Linda Fiser. This

052is her letter. Dear boy, I'm writing to you not only as a member of this community, but as someone who values history, identity, and the legacy that comes with a name. I'm here to respectfully advocate for the renaming of Midland Legacy High School to Midland Lee High School. We're not asking for Robert E. Lee, just Midland Lee High School. My husband and I graduated from Lee in 1972. Our daughter and son-in-law in 1994, and our grandson graduated from Legacy in 2024. Let me begin by saying that I understand the complexities that led to the renaming. We live in a time when our country is deeply re-examining its past. But in doing so, we must ask difficult questions. But we must also remember that history is not one-sided. It's not black and white. It's layered. It's

053complicated. And it belongs to all of us. Roberty D. High School, now Middle Legacy, was not named to celebrate division or hate. It was named in a time when honoring leadership, military service, and historical significance was seen as a way to inspire young people. For decades, students, families, and alumni have taken pride in what the name Lee meant to them, not because of the Confederacy, but because of what they built together under that name. A community, a legacy of academic and athletic success and bonds that span generations. The decision to change the name to Milan Legacy may have been well-intentioned, but in doing so, we erase more than a name. We erase part of a shared history and identity. Legacy is a fine word, but it's vague. What legacy are we speaking of if not

054for the one we built under the name Lee? This is not about politics. It's about place, pride, and history. If we cannot engage with our history in its full context, if we feel compelled to remove names simply because they make us uncomfortable, then we risk sanitizing the very lessons we hope to learn. We're not asking to erase progress. We're asking to balance it with tradition. We are asking to bring back a name that meant something to generations of students who learned, struggled, competed, and succeeded under the banner of Lee High School. Let us not forget that schools are more than just buildings. They are symbols of community identity. Renaming Milan legacy back to Milan Lee is not a step backward. Is a step to honest reconciliation. We can honor our past by continuing to push

055forward. Let the legacy we pass on be one of courage. The courage to preserve our history and not bury it. Thank you, Linda Feaster. Proud to be a rebel. Thank you. Our next speaker is Alfredo Chaparo. Alfredo Chaparo Howard. Ladies and gentlemen of the board, I thank you for your service. I even like to thank everyone who's in the audience, including people who are on the opposing side of myself. Um, it's great that we live in a country in which we can come together and listen to each other and allow leaders like those before us to make decisions. Um, my name's Alfredo. I've been living in Midland for 30 years with my wife Stacy. Uh uh we have a son named Jacob. He's in Alabama. He is a Legacy High School scholarship. Uh I'm sorry,

056Legacy um high school graduate. At the time it was under the previous name, but my preference was to use the Legacy name. Uh my daughter also graduated from Legacy in 2019. My son was 2017. Uh, I think of myself as a pretty even tilled person in in public. Um, I earned a masters of science and accountancy. I'm from Texas Tech University. Um, I did earn my CPA. Um, I think accountants are generally middle of the road and can see both sides of the road and things and and see things objectively. I've been uh selected to be on various grand juries in Midland. It's my understanding that they're looking for objective people um to serve on grand juries. Um for years I have believed and concern been concerned about what I called a racial ins insensitivity

057in Midland Texas. Um, I can tell you that in my I don't use this word lightly at all, but if we make the decision to change the name from from uh from legacy to the previous name, I will now consider the city of Midland to be racist on that decision point right there. I don't use that term lightly. Again, I think of myself as a pretty objective person. My request is that we stay with the name of legacy as opposed to going back to the previous name. I did ask my daughter to uh provide me some input and she uh via text. She said it's a wrong name to school. It's wrong to name a school after a historical figure who fought to directly uphold a s a system of racial oppression. My wife said

058I agree. Since he was a historical figure, the only place his name statue should be is in a museum or a factual historical books. wrestling back to the third speaker of today um a man of of the cloth I would say or it sounded like um I I find severe issues that if we have severe a lot of people in the community who have severe displeasure with them how can we it is a it is a it is a privilege to have your name on a high school not a right thank you very much thank [Music] [Applause] Our next speaker is Isaac G. Garnett. Isaac G. Garnett. Good evening. I'm Isaac Barnett, 509 South Clay on the south side. Um, we have an opportunity now, and you all have received my letters in an email.

059Um, we have an opportunity to either live forward or live backwards. If we're going to live backwards, let's live back to 1983 when I was in high school. I was a rebel. Pray I'll leave. So, let's bring out the rebel flag, my coast, the Dixie flag. Let's sing Dixie Land. Let's do everything that I endured trying to be a young man trying to go forward. Let's bring it all back. We're going to bring it back. Don't do nothing halfway. I'm a soldier like this man. If we go in, let's do all the way and then we deal with the consequences of bringing back everything. Those red flags are not rebel flags. ourselves. Now, Midland Nathan School District uh uh has drudged up for me a settling issue that gave me great pain and constonation. I'm

060going skip forward. There are those who speak today and those who are running the rebel flag who speak the re rebel legacy. But who cared about Harvard in 1968? >> It was easy to make that decision in ' 68. So we having such a problem today. The school board at that time could have equally brought all the kids to car. But that was not attainable. That was not sustainable. That was not going to happen. And so I graduated from Midn High School in 1984 before going on to college on a sports scholarship. So I can speak to the duality of a young black whose hopes and dreams were balanced with the reality that so many children segregation had to navigate to achieve a basic education. I want to be clear. I have no regrets attending

061Midland League. I was a Lee Rebel. Still am a Lee Rebel. Will always be a Lee rebel. I live in this reality. I live in this duality. I'm all those things. But I still have hope for the future. I have great and longlasting friendships with my brothers from that time to today. I spoke before this board years ago. Okay? And I want you to know I have love from Lee Rebels. But that time is over. That's sunset. Not everything is meant to last. from this little flow at Mount B. Okay. Thank you. Our next speaker is Halton Malla. Holston Mccela. I was speaking from here, but she's back from me, the teacher. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Hi, my name is Alison Blacking Brown and I was gonna have Hson speak in my spot because

062we have uh uh meet the teacher tonight, but you managed to get done and get here in time. Um Dr. Howard and board members, thank you for listening tonight. Um I'm a resident of district 5 and I attended the school board meeting in July when the new rules were adopted which included not naming a school after someone that had fought against the United States of America. So why are we here tonight? I realize that that means that those of you who propose this and support this measure say that you're not renaming the school Robert E. Le, but that's disingenuous. Why would you be naming the school Midland Lee if not for the fact the school had be previously named Robert Elely High School? The name Lee does not miraculously appear out of nowhere and to

063pretend that it does is dishonest and a disservice to the history and your constituents. This is a similar This is similar to naming a child Joe Smith III and pretending like there is no connection to Joe Smith the first. Honestly though, it's even worse than that. It's like going into a crowd of German people and yelling entering high, which literally means hail the victor and claiming that all you wanted to do was applaud the winning German soccer team. Words matter. Names matter. I can appreciate that ever that not everyone probably not even most people who want to return to the name of we are doing so with nefarious intent and malice in their hearts. They had a pride and enjoyment at a time in their lives. However, there is a dark side to the history

064of Latin name. Renaming the school from Lee to legacy does not erase or change history. It corrected a wrong. Again, not necessarily a wrong done with malice, but it was a wrong. It was a disservice to my students and our families of color. And before we pretend that racism is a thing of the past, remember that all of you were alive in 1998 when James Bird was lynched and murdered in East Texas. And this is not a story of our ancestors captured in black and white. This is recent history. And before you say you have a house 30 years ago, we have and we've changed. Right now, there is a new member exclusive rights onlyly settlement being built in Arkansas and they hope to expand it soon. This is not a a part of history.

065It's not the time to ignore history. This is the time to continue our legacy of growth and change. And when we know better, we do better. >> So, speaking of doing better, wouldn't your time be better used in actual service to our students? I'm sure you are aware that the new policies require you to approve the current catalog of every school library before students are all allowed to check out books. However, since that has failed to be done and the process has not been set up to do that, we have thousands of students arriving to school in 5 days that will be unable to check out books from their school library. >> Stay focused. >> Our next speaker is Heather Bredus. Heather Bradamus. >> If we can keep the applause a little shorter, please. We

066can move this right along. Sorry. >> As a graduate of Midland High, I didn't know the history of Robert E. Lee or what the naming of the high school meant. how there were Midlanders who did not want to desegregate the school. And as the ultimate sign of disrespect, uh, the white men in the school board at that time decided to name it after the leader of the Confederate army, the man who fought and lost in the South's attempt to maintain states rights to own slaves. Josh Quinn, it disgusts me that you said, quote, "This is about honoring the patriotic legacy that binds us and protecting our heritage." Whose heritage? White people, right? While not everyone who supports changing the name back to Lee is a racist, 100% of white supremacists want this. The fact that

067those of you who will vote for this are fighting on the same side as the KKK should be a big sign that you're on the wrong side of history here. Beyond the fact that this is morally wrong, renaming these schools in this way goes against your own values. You said you wanted the community to vote on this, an opportunity missed when it was first renamed, but you're no better than the prior school board who unilaterally decided to rename it. This is what you want, not the majority of your constituents. And for those people who are watching online, you can't see this, but the overwhelming majority of people here today are against changing this to Lee. If you're keeping track, I believe it's 18 people who have spoken against this and three for it. You all

068ran campaigns on the premise that improving educational outcomes would be your top priority. Renaming the school does not help kids. Dr. Freeze, you've been steadfast in your commitment to ensure that there's no wasteful spending across all areas of local government. But if you change the school before the new ones are built, then you're no better than the city council members that you chided for squandering MDC funds. It's not lost on any of us that the irony of removing legacy is that yours will be as a one-term school board member whose one accomplishment was dividing our community and renaming a school that hearkens back to a moment in time that was meant to psychologically keep black people in their place. But since you're setting this president, when Mr. Hodes loses his seat in 2026, there's no

069stopping his successor from renaming it back to legacy before the new school is built. When will this cycle end? We are wasting so much taxpayer money and our time. And these people here are not going to stop. This is going to just keep going. Please don't do this. if you have to. Maybe a compromise is letting people vote on this. >> Give her five seconds back. >> Thank you. Please let people vote on this. >> Thank you. Next. [Applause] Our next speaker is John L. Kennedy. John L. Kennedy. Trustees, Superintendent Howard, thank you for the opportunity to speak. One of you all's many duties as trustees is to take votes, cast a lot of votes. Uh when I was uh on the school board, I guess I probably cast hundreds of votes. And there's only

070one vote that I regret and that is renaming Lee High School Legacy. It was a mistake. We cannot rewrite history. We may not like history, but we can't rewrite it. I do not want to basically uh erase the accomplishments for the last 60 some odd years of students at Lee High School both academically and scholastically uh academically and athletically. I think it's a time that we just go ahead put it to Lee and go on down the road. I think it's the right thing to do and I urge you to vote for the game change. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you, >> Mr. President. I move for take a 10-minute break. Move to take a 10-minute break. Catherine break. >> It's been Do we have a second? >> Second. It's been moved and seconded that we

071take a break. 10 minutes. In favor, raise your right hand. It's unanimous. The time is 6:51 and the meeting is coming back into order. Please take your seats. Angel, if you'll call. Believe we're going to call three speakers at a time this go round. So, if three would come up and sit down and be ready, that would be great. Mr. Hernandez. >> All right, folks. Listen up. I'm going to call three names. I need y'all up here in the front. We're going to be calling y'all three at a time. First person I need up is Kathy Broadick. You'll be our next speaker. Lynn Rogers, if you'll have a seat in the front here, you'll be next. Denise Norman, our third speaker. Hello, my name is Kathy Broadick and I'm speaking for myself and as the

072chair of the Midland Democratic Party. My first memory of the Midland Rebels was when I was a student at the Big Spring High School and we would play in football and in 1973 [Music] I attended that game. We won, by the way. Um, and I was amazed by the spectacle of all of these rebel flags flying down that field, the drum line, the all of the league. It was a powerful message. And I kept thinking of Robert E. he lost that war. They didn't win. Why? You know, it was coming from a person whose mascot was a fear. I didn't get that one either. But it even in as a high school person that made you think. I related that memory to the school board when I spoke for the name change. Um, I Googled

073the history and found out all the details about why it was named that way and I thought that is just super wrong that they did it in the first place. Um, Robert E. Lee was not a hero. He he lost. He he had the choice of which side he was going to fight off and he chose to fight with the South. His plantation was across the river from Washington DC and his reward is that was taken away. His plantation was taken away and it is now a cemetery. He's not a hero. If we want to name the school after a hero, let's pick Shirley Howard. She drove a bus for this school district. And she was instrumental in changing many things in this community for the good. and she fought till her last breath to

074make sure that Midland was thriving. M Robert Lee didn't. I was so proud when we passed that bond. Conservatives and liberals alike worked together with oil companies and we got the money to improve this school district. Then I was disgusted whenever the voucher system passed and we took the money away from this school district. Now you want to rename a new school that we fought really hard to get after the same person that doesn't deserve that. Do the right thing. Do what's right. Exclusion based on skin color is wrong no matter how many people vote for it. and we should not do that. >> Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Lynn Rogers. Lynn Rogers. >> Hello and good evening. My name is Lynn. I was born and raised here in Midland. Um, I also

075attended first through 9th grade in MISD, including Lee Freshman when it was so named. And, um, I just have to say that I just can't believe that changing the name again is even on the agenda in the district right now. Um, it was changed to a name that encourages all students to leave a good legacy. Period. done. The money was spent to rebrand. It's done. So, I just don't know why we're here. As a wife of an MISD teacher and a parent of public school students, I can confirm that we have so many other very pressing issues directly related to student academic outcomes. And they have nothing to do with this name. like finding ways to make sure we have enough teachers in the schools or how to remedy the huge budget deficit in our

076district. Some of you seem to be very politically inclined and involved and that's, you know, play to your strengths. That's great. Could you please use that political energy to find out how to keep more of our recapture money in the district? Please. Like, write it down. I'm I'm serious. And focus your energy to solve real problems in the district. And then finally, I appeal to you as a follower of Christ, we always have to measure everything that we do to God's word. Not to mine, not to he, hers, his, whoever. To God's word. His word is the standard. Not my feelings, my memories, or my emotions. If what I am doing is not in line with his word, I must change me, not him and not his word. So if my traditions do not love

077my neighbor as myself, if my traditions show favoritism, if my traditions do not honor the image of God in others, then my traditions must go end. That's the end of it. I cannot cling to them as an idol while dis why I dishonored the IMO day. If my traditions come between me and my neighbor, I will always choose my neighbor because God did not ask me to love my traditions. [Applause] Denise Norman [Applause] Um, good evening school members and Dr. Howard. This name change is already causing division. I ask you, are you ready for the division if it's changed? I want to take a moment to apologize to Dr. Howard and to her team that y'all are even having to do this. Like, I still need to buy some school supplies for restart school next

078week. The pride many fail to leave football is undeniable. But I remind you that respected names like Honorable Michael Williams, Dr. John Thurman, Eric Winston, John Norman, Joshua Norman, Joseph Norman, and others who helped build the program have all publicly asked this district to move away from Lee. Why? Because when you know better, you do better. Scripture tells us pride comes before the fall. By taking this action, you're not only undoing the progress that has been built, but you're creating a mark on this school that the entire country will see. And I ask you, why would you put our kids through that? This decision isn't just about a name. It's about whether we will choose unity over division. Whether we will honor all our students instead of making a choice that will divide them for

079years to come. Please do not make a choice today that our community will regret tomorrow. Mr. Gin, your heritage should not be forced on our children at MISD. I'm asking Mr. Bishop, Mr. Booker, Mr. had none, Mr. Hodgeges and Dr. Freeze to please make the right decision. You don't have to follow what Mr. Gin decided to put on his Facebook on 4th of July. Thank you. >> Thank you. [Applause] The next three people I need up here are going to be Reagan Inohos, Stan Smith, Harry Nutter. Reagan Inohos, Stan Smith, and Harry Nutter. Reagan, you're up front. Good evening, trustees. Uh, Dr. Howard, Mr. Hodes, Mr. Gin, you turned a settled issue into a spectacle, and our my community is paying for it. Let's talk more about your choices. You now choose to send routine

080records requests to the attorney general which which adds roughly 45 days. Legal, yes, but delays are not transparency. They are tactic. This board joined TE in February. Cara Belaloo sits on TE's board. You hired her as your attorney. She now turns up in District Matters and has appeared publicly with you, Mr. Hodes. It looks like a circle of insiders making self-s serving decisions with public dollars. Put the full TE terms, the actual cost of Miss Beloo's legal representation, and every related engagement in the sunlight. If it's good for kids, put it on paper and post it. Last year, by August 27th, the district reported 98% fill rate. This year, more than 198 open positions. This is not a headline. That is students without teachers and campuses stretched thin. Leadership is why people are not wanting

081to work here. Own it. Show vacancies by campus and show the plan to choose a gap every week until it's fixed. Lastly, you are punishing retirees and students. House Bill 2 signed on June 4th lets districts charge up to 16.5% sir charge directly to retirees that the district rehires. Almost no other district is hitting the maximum in 2025, but you did. And you notified retirees on July 14th after the resignation window closed. You choose to shrink our pool of experienced educators when we are already short. Fix it. Here's the truth. In Millan ISD today, insiders get access and students get substitutes. Mr. Hajes, Mr. Gin, this is not leadership. It is it is gamesmanship and it divides neighbors and weakens schools. Here's what we all can do tonight. We can demand the board direct administration

082to publish a monthly legal spend report and a PIA dashboard that tracks every AG routed request. We can demand the board put the TE contract and all related engagements on an agenda for full disclosure of scope costs this year and next and safeguards against conflicts. We can demand that the board publish a weekly vacancy report by campus with concrete recruiting targets until we reach last year's fill rate. We can demand that the board reconsider the HB2 search charge and bring back options that are below the maximum. We can demand transparency over theater because our community and our kids deserve better. [Applause] >> Thank you for sharing your feelings. Next, >> Stan Smith. Stan Smith. >> Hello, school board. Dr. Hired. Superintendent Hired. My name is Stan Smith and this is what the name of the

083high school Lee is a straightforward choice with layered reasoning. First, Lee is a name with historical and cultural weight. It evokes figures like Roberty Lee, a conflict complex but ins but a significant figure in American history. Known for his military leadership and later his rec reconciliation efforts, name the skull after Jim could spark discussions on history, leadership, and ethics. That's valuable for young minds. Alternatively, could honor local heroes like a community leader or educator trying the school to regional pride. The name's flexibility allows it to represent whoever the community deems worthy, making it inclusive yet meaningful. Second, it's short, memorable, and practical. The single syllable rolls off the tongue, fits cleanly on scrimmage, and avoids the bureaucratic mouthful of names like the regional comprehensive number three. It's brand. Think logos, mascots, chance. Students can rally

084around it. Whether they're shouting goalie rebels or designing sweet yearbook covers, simplicity breeds unity, and a name like these sticks in the mind without overwhelming it. Third side controversy better than hyperp specific names. Long hyphenated names honoring multiple figures often invite debate over who's included or excluded. Lee is neutral enough to avoid factionalism and still carry gravitas. It's a blank slate for the school to define his identity through action. academic excellence, community service, or athletic progress rather than being boxed in a polarizing figure or overly niche records. Finally, data backs up backs the appeal of the concise needs study on branding shows that names, etc. Nike and Apple faster, stronger emotional connections. The 2023 survey of school administrators found that 68% preferred names under three syllables for the ease of use student engagement. Lee fits

085mode balancing tradition with modern appeal. Lee is versatile, memorable, unifying, and practical. A name that lets the school legacy shine. For those concerned about the cost, where were you when MISD blowed $9.5 million of your tax money to turn it into dirt via the destruction of Branching Hills Golf Club? Bring Midland Lee Rebels back. >> Thank you. Next, our next speaker is Harry T. Nutter. Mr. Nutter, >> thank you. Lord. My parents moved to Midland when I was three and I grew up at 3803 Cedar Springs right down the street from Jane Long. I went to Jane Long. I went to Alamo. I went to Lee Freshman and I went to Lehi. There is something that we should remember about the name Lee. When the Confederacy was formed, Alexander Hamilton Stevens, the vice president, gave

086a speech that was widely published throughout the South, in which he proclaimed that the Confederacy was the first nation in history founded upon the principle of racism and slave. slavery. Approximately 3 years later, when Alexander Hamilton Stevens and a delegation met with Lincoln at Hampton Roads, they didn't get what they want. They came to end the hostilities. They didn't get what they want, so they went home. As Sherman was burning everything from Atlanta to the sea, the South preferred more death and destruction than to give up their beloved institution of slavery. That is not something that we should honor in the name of our schools. I'm not particularly fond of the word legacy, but it would be a tragedy and a travesty to go back to the name Lee. And so if you're going to

087vote one way or the other, I hope you vote to keep the name legacy. [Applause] Thank you. My next three speakers are going to be Clay Zachary, I believe, Bradley Keith, Jeremy Pittz. Mr. Zachary, you're up first. Good evening. I didn't print anything or write anything tonight because I didn't expect to speak, but there's been a lot of talk about this student tonight. And as somebody who's spent 42 or 46 years in this community, I know a little bit about it. So when I think of our history, just like these people are raped, and I don't think these are bad people. I don't think they're racist. I don't think they're racist. I don't think they're bad people for believing what they believe. They just see history differently than I do. When I think about the

088history of this community, I think of the games that I went to. I think about going to football games. And as Isaac said earlier, >> I have I have it. Hello. Can you hear me? Okay. When I when I think about going to those football games, I think about the flag that I saw. It wasn't the one that they're waving proudly tonight. It was the Confederate flag. That's what I think about. I think about my friends crossing the goal line and I think about Dixie blasting throughout the entire stadium. A lot of people showing a lot of pride and people like me sitting there wondering who really longs for the days of cotton. Not us. Okay. Remember the Dixie dolls dancing. That's what I remember. So, if we're going to talk about history, we've got

089to move forward. We have to be better than this. We have to be. That's it. That's all I've got for you. [Applause] >> Thank you. Mr. Keith, you're up next. >> Good afternoon. My name is Bradley Keith. I'm a lifelong resident in Midland, Texas. I attended the schoolboard meeting on July 29th where I saw you get quite the earful from six concerned citizens about the proposed name change. I was blown away by them bringing their voices together to resoundingly reject the idea of returning to a name that represents so much hate, division, and the biggest of all, the institution of slavery. I wonder how the name Midland Lee would pass muster based on this board's own guidelines. I am now worried about a matter that did not get discussed and that is the last line

090in the new naming policy. Quote, "The results of the community input process are not binding on the school board. It is undemocratic to retain full control of the naming rights and to close the door on the community that showed up here today to let you know exactly how they feel. I want you to reconsider this amendment that cuts off the voice of the people from having any effect on something that affects us all. Renaming our alma mater won't change what took place there. It's not meant to be bleach on our community's history. It's the simple fact that our community should represent us all. And naming something as sacred as an institution of learning after a traitorous slave owner sends entirely the wrong message. I believe that we are all created equally and we were endowed

091by our creator with certain unalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Robert E. Lee and all variations of that name represent a man who turned his back on his country and these ideals. And now here we are using our most precious resource, time, and taking it away from the children of this community and using it as one of your first actions as trustees, no less, to virtue signal. I expect someone who worked so hard to get elected and took over $45,000 to do so would not use their limited time as trustee to cause such a rift in our community. I would expect them to champion education, work on making sure not a single child is going hungry while in MISD care, helping to develop a curriculum that raises literacy

092rates, improves critical thinking and outcomes for all students. The Honorable Michael Williams said it best when he wrote, "Removing Robert E. from the name is not reform. It is camouflage. Now, 160 years after something that lasted as long as the average high school career, it's time to move forward. The original name was not chosen by anyone here. No one in this room is the cause of such a dark history. But it is our consequence to reckon with. Changing the name back just kicks the can further down the road. A problem for a future board, for future citizens, and for future students. Let's solve problems. Let's pave the way so that those after us have it easier than we did. So that all Midlanders can feel safer and more welcome in the community that they call

093home. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, Jeremy Pitch. [Applause] I want to first say hope you guys realize you had a mental health professional heavily advise you against this in a very public forum. I hope you kind of keep that in your head. Uh in a year we are faced with 41.1 million in budget shortcuts. How can the board with a straight face even bring this issue to vote? Priorities here narcissistic is what I'm seeing. I also noticed in public info the cost is being advertised is only $20,000 which I find interesting because the first time the name was changed it was over $2 million. So all of a sudden it's 1% to change the name. Um does anyone anyone in here have to write a PRN on going way over budget? So why was

094it 2 million and now it's 20,000? Why is that being publicly pushed? Um, also make a note that several sources uh that I've come across have cited that a particular member of this board did not respond to interview requests. So, you want to spend the money, but you don't want to talk about it really. So, I guess it's good. Um, it's it's very apparent the board the fact that you're even voting this doesn't have the bulk of the uh interest of the populace in mind. That's very apparent right now. So I asked this, why now? There's no money for it. So you plan on jacking up my property tax, her property tax, theirs to pay for this? Thank you. Appreciate it. I love paying five, six, $7,000 a year for this. Really? Uh would you

095like to encounter who got the position cut or his and explain? Yeah, this is more important. We need a name change more than we need your position and your students really miss you. Sorry, you know. No, I don't I personally I don't care about the school spirit line. It's not it doesn't matter to me. But I do find it funny. We keep talking about we and legacy. What happens? You go to a game and they just look at it and go, "Well, we don't know who's playing tonight. They're middle in school. They can't decide under name tonight." Really? They don't know what they want to be called. All right. So, I'm gonna close with this. What is the interest in this? What's vested for? No one asked for this. I'm wondering if I I keep

096pondering on all how a lot of of the members got here. I'm wondering if I'm going to throw it out there if chapter 171 means anything on this board because I'm I'm curious if how this vote's going to go or is going to go the typical four to three like it always does coming out of this board. Yeah, that's a challenge. What you build with this and this just once? Thanks. [Applause] >> Thank you for coming to your first school board meeting. Okay, my next three speakers are going to be Adam Varial, Terry Garrett, and Monica Taylor. Adam Varal, Terry Garrett, Monica Tucker. Mr. Varal, you're up first. Thank you ladies and gentlemen and basically anybody who's here who wants to change something back to Lee. I understand your reasoning and the layout of your

097arguments. You say we are not racist for wanting to change the name of legacy back to middle le. This is a fair compromise so we can celebrate our past traditions and appease our black constituents. I ask, has this last five years just what has this last five years been to you? Just an empty political performance in order to appease your black tax voters as well as any other minority that just happens to be part of their contingency. I mean, Mr. went do you not think of the black classmates you and I went to Lee and graduated around the same time I don't know you and you don't know me but we both had similar classmates do you not remember them do you not recall five years ago when those individuals came out and spoke of

098the time knowing that the name Lee was problematic but they kept silent out of fear out of retaliation are you not aware that those same citizens now have kids that go to MISB. What do you plan on saying to those kids when they inevitably ask, "Why is the school Midland Lee again after changing it to legacy?" Are you going to tell them about that this is a reminder of all the wonderful memories and traditions we had back when we were young and not adults? Do you plan on omitting that the name Lee is a holdover from when the school was named after a man who fought to preserve slavery and whose name was chosen not because of any connection to Midland, Texas, but as an intimidation factor to those incoming black students from the 60s.

099Because if traditional history is what this issue is about, then there is no pretending that Lee does not have connections to racism. There's no point to pretending. one of my best friends in high school. Not to mention countless other students before and after our time were forced into there's no pretending that didn't happen. But they were not silenced. All of their pain is as real and as valid as the trophies and the bonfires that everybody on this side of the room seems to cherish so much. You will all have to explain to the new generation of black people. You will have to explain. I mean, if you're too scared, you're too scared to explain why you have to talk about the racism and the good things with it. If you're too scared to, I will.

100I teach a legacy freshman. I will tell. As will every other individual who spoke today and the parents of those who were silenced. Not to mention the fact that you guys are going to be asking these kids to win the trophy. So, if we're going to do that, at least let them have a school name that they're not embarrassed by. Thank you. >> Thank you. Time [Applause] >> Terry Garrett. Terry Garrett. Boy, y'all. First off, I don't appreciate this of the building going over this side of the building and calling us name. >> Please address the board. Thank you, sir. >> Please address the board. >> Um, >> please address the board. We're not going to get into he said we've already established the rules. Please address the board. >> Okay, I'll address the board.

101I don't appreciate this side of the building calling us white supremacists and racist. None of us had said the word racist. And I'll tell you another thing. I went all through this middle and high school uh school system. So did 120 years of my other kin folks. Bill McNeel, my cousin, who can't be here tonight, was in the very first senior graduating class of Lee High School. He went to Vietnam for his senior trip and fought for our country. He sat over there in the swamps and rivers of Vietnam and watched dozens of his companions and and fellow soldiers die in them rivers and swamps over there. Dug their dead bodies out of the river and brought them home. And there's a whole bunch of other people that went to Lee High School and did

102the same thing. And even more so, when I was going to school here, we had black and Mexican friends. We played sports with them. We enjoyed their company as much as any. I I've I've got many many many black friends that are business associates. There's no word of racism in our conversations. There there's no racism here. These people over here are the ones talking about all this racism, not us. We're trying to preserve the history. The history of Lee High School when it started and opened up was not anything related to the Confederate uh Civil War. They simply named the school after a general that fought for what he thought was his country. But before he was a Confederate soldier, he was a United States soldier. So, uh, bringing all this stuff up about racism

103when there's no racism from our point of view is ludicrous. Midland Lee started its own history when it started the school. Two of my stepsons were in the uh foot on the football team the year we beat Herian High School twice in the same year, which was a bigger deal at the time than winning the state championship, which I think we did the year later. Cedric Benson was playing with my stepsons at Cedric Benson has been at my house when I was cooking hamburgers for all the kids. There's no racism there. Those kids were all friends. There's a lot of black kids that have been at my house time. Thank you. [Applause] >> This is racism. It ain't over here. >> Thank you, >> Monica Tucker. Monica Tucker. uh members of the school board and

104Dr. Howard. Um I grew up here in Midland. My family moved here in 1986 where we lived in Lee District. Like many families, we spent Friday nights at Memorial Stadium watching Lee football. I remember wearing Lee shirts with Confederate flags watching the Dixie dolls dance, hearing the Dixie song played. At the time, I didn't think much of it. It was just part of school spirit and tradition. In 2020, when MISD school board formed a committee to consider renaming Lee, I volunteered to join. As a 1996 Lee graduate, a state uh champion swimmer, and now an MISD parent, I felt invested in the process. From the first meeting, it was clear the committee was divided. Half wanted to keep the name, and half believed it needed to change completely. I truly believed that no one in

105the committee supported racism or slavery. Many felt that calling it Lee wasn't harmful. After all, we weren't saying Robert E. Lee explicitly. It just felt like a name, a tradition we had grown up with. But what I didn't know then, and what deeply changed my perspective, was the real reason, the motive as to why the name was chosen in the first place. Several weeks into the process, I learned and it shifted everything. In 1954, Brown versus Board of Education, ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional. Across the South, many communities, including Midland, resisted integration. By 1961, MISD prepared to open the new high school, and they knew full integration was coming. In response, the school board held a meeting, voted to name the school Roberty. Lee High School along with many other schools in the South.

106During this time, the name wasn't chosen to honor a military general. It was a message, a deliberate act of resistance to integration and a signal to the black community about who was welcome and who was not. Learning this changed how I saw everything. I thought about how it would have felt like in 1968 when Midland finally integrated schools if my own two black children who had been forced to leave their school Carver and attend a school named to make them feel less than. I managed my imagined my son's quiet pain and fear feeling unwelcome and unworthy. I imagine my daughter's heartbreak losing her friends and teachers and walking to an a place that made her feel small. a thought that made my stomach turn. In that context, the name Lee no longer felt harmless. It

107felt like a word carrying pain and hate, like a child repeating a curse word without understanding its power. To consider reverting back to a name that was chosen to intimidate and exclude, is not about tradition. It sends a message, one that causes deep hurt for many and reflects the values we choose to hold up. The question is, is this really what Midland wants to stand for? >> Thank you. My next three speakers will be Matt Galindo, Harrison Prather, and Jay Tucker. Matt Galindo, Harrison Prather, and Jay Tucker. Good evening. Change is hard. It pushes us to grow, to be honest, and to let go of what no longer serves us. But if we cling to the past simply because it feels safe, we do not hold we hold back progress and our children pay the

108price. I'm here as a graduate of Robert Lee High School and um a parent of a legacy high school uh high school student. Uh but I'm here in oppo opposing the name change. Some say that it's just a name but history says something different. The name honors Robert E. Lee a man who fought to keep people in chains. It was chosen in 1961 year years before the schools integrated in Midland long after the board versus the Brown of Brown versus the board of education and at that time honoring Confederate leaders was a deliberate act of resistance to integration. Some suggest that removing Robert Ely or the Robert E fixing the problem but it is not. Changing the name without addressing the history and meaning is like replanting the crack foundation. The core is still the

109issue. Supporters claim that it's not tradition and heritage. But whose tradition tradition and heritage? It's not one of unity, opportunity, or excellence for all. It is a heritage of white supremacy and exclusion, sending the message that students of color did not belong in this school district. When people say we want to go back, I ask back to what? Confederate flags, Nixon, symbols that declare that some students are not welcome. Or is this just beginning to the old high school glory days long gone? Legacy High School is more than just a name. It's a promise. A promise that every child belongs in the school district. Uh Mr. Rogers. In 2020, I ran for the MISD school board district 1 seat. And at that time, uh, we met several times. He wanted to support me until the

110name change came up. Once I took a stance and I was for the name change, he backed out. He didn't support that campaign. There's other reasons. I wasn't going to sign the NDA, all that good stuff. But I I want to I want to tell you this because then he challenged me and he told me that this was a distraction and that it did not uh it wasn't about improving student outcomes. So today I ask you Bill SB faces a $7 million deficit and and has cut over a 100 staff positions directly impacting teachers and students. So now five years later I'm over here and you're on the board. How does changing the name fix that? How does it put more teachers and support in the classroom? And how does it improve student outcomes? Thank

111you. >> Thank you. Next, Harrison Prather. [Applause] Hello, my name is Harrison Prather, graduate of Robert El High School, class of 2008. was born and raised in Midland attending Parker Elementary and Alamo Junior High. Uh Mrs. Berles, it's good to see you virtually. I'm not in your district, but I was in your archaeology class at gym circa 2002. Uh Dr. Howard, uh you were principal during my time at Lee. Mr. Hodgeges, you are my uh district trustee. To all of you, I hope that we aren't gathered here as a prefuncter exercise to reach a pre-ordained conclusion. It's disappointing that some feel the need to rehash this critical issue that many of us believe was resolved in 2020. What one's opinion on this matter seems to boil down to is how one views the proximate cause

112of the US Civil War. Was it states rights or was it slavery? The irony that there is any confusion on this topic, I think, is a failing of our schools. For instance, how many in this room have ever heard of the declaration of the immediate causes which induce and justify the secession of South Carolina from the federal union? That mouthful of a title is South Carolina's explicit reasons for secession from the US where in the first paragraph, South Carolina desired secession in 1852, but in deference to the other slaveolding states, South Carolina forbore at that time to exercise this right of secession. It also cites article four of the US constitution which requires that any person held to service or labor in one state who escaped to another state must be returned. Is there any

113question what a person held to service or labor means here? If so, continue reading. The text contains the word slave, slavery, or slaveolding 18 times. Let me repeat that for the folks to my left. The first state to secede with which all the others followed into a treasonous war mentioned slavery 18 times. How many know that all of the other states wrote their own declarations of secession? The topic of today's meeting is the name Lee of Roberty E. Lee, the Confederate general from Virginia. What did Lee choose to fight for? Virginia's Declaration of Secession reads in part, and I paraphrase, "The people of Virginia declare the federal government perverted its constitutional powers to the oppression of the southern slaveolding states." What a fascinating choice of words. The oppression of these southern slaveolding states. Is there

114still any question about the primary reason for the Civil War? One may be forgiven for not receiving a thorough education in history and holding inaccurate views, but one cannot be forgiven for blatantly ignoring the history on a critical topic such as this. I used to think that there was a litmus test on the question of naming things about Confederate leaders. Would we today name a school after any of the treasonous individuals that fought against this country for the right to own slaves? Unfortunately, according to Mr. Gwyn, the answer appears to be yes. I urge the board to vote no >> time. Thank you. Jay Tucker. Hi trustees. Uh, thanks for your time tonight. My name is Jay Tucker. I have three kids in the school district. Um, overstating the obvious. Your decision tonight to proceed

115with a name change will deeply wound one group of people of Midlanders. There's lots of alumni that are hurt because their school name was changed and our community did a poor job of acknowledging that loss. Others are hurt because Lee is a reminder that when Midland opened the school, bike students were prohibited from attending. Both wings are real. Neither is oversensitive. My question for the community and you is this. Do you believe losing a name is a deeper injury than being excluded because of your skin color? If you do, then proceed. Thanks for listening. >> Thank you. My next three speakers will be Jane Wolf, Angie Aaron, Joanna Brownley, Jane Wolf, Angie Aaron, and Joanna Brownley. Mr. Hodes, trustees, Dr. Howard, I am actually going to be reading the remarks of Michael Williams, the honorable

116Michael Williams, who is unable to be here. My name is Michael Williams. I'm a proud 1971 graduate of Robert E. High School where I served as student body vice president, earned all region honors in track and field, was named Mr. Valuable, and graduated in the top 8% of my class. In 2010, I was honored to be inducted into Lee's inaugural hall of honor alongside General Tommy Franks and former first lady Arab. Five years later, my wife Donna was also inducted. My connection to this school runs deep. My father taught and coached at Lee. My mother served as a counselor there. Lee was a launching pad for my life that took me to college, graduate school, and law school. It propelled me into public service under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush. I was elected

117statewide three times to the Texas Railroad Commission and later served as Texas Education Commissioner. I not as an outsider but as someone who lived, shaped and was shaped by the story of Lee and that is why I stand firmly opposed to any effort to return the name Lee to this public school in any form. Removing Robertine from the name is not reform. It is camouflage. It is clever and tactical but ultimately hollow and inappropriate. I live through segregation. I know what that name meant to black students. Not tradition but exclusion. I worked with others to build a new legacy. were not defined by the Confederacy, but by excellence, integrity, and unity. A public school's name should reflect values that unite, not divide. The renaming of the school in 2020 did not erase history. It reclaimed

118the moral high ground. Reversing that decision sends a clear and painful message that Milan values nostalgia over progress and symbols of division over the promise of inclusion. Some have suggested that this renaming effort is about reclaiming athletic legacy. But let us remember in 1968 this district did more than rename George Washington Carver High School. It closed it. Yet Carver alumni remain proud. At every banual reunion, they celebrate not just championships, but cherished memories, devoted teachers, enduring friendships. >> Time. Thank you, ma'am. >> Thank you, >> Angie Aaron. Good evening to President Hodes, to the school board, to Superintendent Howard, to my previous colleagues, and to the community. My name is Angie Erin. I am a retiree from Midland ISD in July of 2023. I have served the Midland community with joy for 28 years. first

119as a special ed teacher, as an assistant principal, as an executive director at the district office, and 18 wonderful years in the principal seat. for Jones Elementary, 12 years, Parker Elementary, four years, and four years at Bernard Elementary. I remember for 60 years, Midland's Roberty Lee High School has been represented by a Confederate soldier. I attended Lee High School for three years, pent through my senior year. And I wish that I could say that it was all pleasant, but it was a very difficult time where I had to walk into a school building with Roberty. Lee's flag, his face, and representation on the school where I attended. It caused many scars. Even though I made very good friends, loved my teacher, but every day because I actually listened in history class in junior high, I

120knew what Robert E. Lee represented. It was not a fun time going to pep rallies, but we were forced to go to pep rallies on Fridays whenever it was game time, but it was very, very difficult. So I tell you that I was silent about my pain. I would tell my twin sister. I would tell my mom. But I did not share that with others. Legacy is the longlasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past or in a person's life. The decision put before you today is not simply a matter of preference or tradition. It is a moral and spiritual decision. And how we choose will tell our children in our community what kind of legacy we truly want to leave. Let us be clear. Naming a school after Robert

121E. Lee or simply Lee does not simply preserve history. It honors him. And when we honor someone, we teach our children that this is a person to admire, to emulate, and to respect. I am not for renaming Legacy High School Legacy Freshman to Lee High and Lee Freshman. Thank you for your attention. >> Thank you, Joanna Brownley. [Applause] President Hodes, Dr. Howard, school board members, thank you so much for your time and for being here and for serving our community. Um, it's really appreciative. There's seven of you in our population of 145,000 people and I would not want your job. So, I'm thankful that you are up there and you're listening and you're giving your time um just to serve our community and our kids. Just want to you to hear that first and foremost.

122Um um I live in district 7, Mr. Glenn. I'm your constituent. Um I would love for you to come knock on my door and have a conversation with me. Um I run our national night out. Um and I run um our group me and that represents hundreds of families in district 7. Um and so all the claims that you're following your constituents. um I'm your constituent and I um disagree um with your post on July 4th. Um I've had a lot of conversations with a lot of my neighbors um and they feel the same. Um and so I really mean that not not animos animosity or anything weird. Seriously, an open conversation. I would welcome it. Um and um and I would be able to organize that and have a 100 people in my backyard

123um that are your constituents. I'd be happy to chat and have an open honest conversation um with you. Um I'm not going to give a history lesson and type a long lesson about who Robert Lee was. Many of of other people have done that um today. Um however um I will say that um we are playing a game of semantics here and saying we're just going to name it Midland Lee. Midland Lee is not racist there. We're just asking for Midland Lee. We're not asking for Robert E. me. Um, that's been all of the all of the uh um comments. Well, so I put my 5-year-old to the test and I said, "Hey, bud. Let's go get some ice cream. We're going to go to Robins to get some ice cream." And he looked at

124me kind of crazy and I said, "Yep, let's go to Robins and get some ice cream." He goes, "You mean BaskinRobins, Mom?" And I said, "Yep, we're going to go to BaskinRobins." Because even my 5-year-old knows that Robins was associated with Baskin Robbins. So, if we were to change the name of Baskin Robbins to Robins, he would still know it as Baskin Robbins. Um, so my 5-year-old's pretty wise. Um, I was glad to, um, see that the name of the school was changed to Legacy several years ago. Um, I had the honor of being a part of a group here in Midland called Be the Bridge, probably 10 years ago. I probably would have been on the other side of this argument and I repent um, from that. um because I sat with people in

125our community and we had shared shared stories and we shared lived experiences and as a white woman I cannot tell somebody um with black skin that I understand their lived experience because I have not lived it. I used to think there wasn't racism because I had kids over at my house for dinner or people in my house but there was. So I um just really ask that you really consider um just keeping legacy as is. >> Thank you. [Applause] >> My next three speakers will be Amber Davidson, Jean Jones, Billy Ashley. Amber Davidson, Jean Jones, Billy Ashley. Amber, you're first up. No, we got two more after that. >> President Hodes, members of the board, Dr. Howard, and members of the community, my name is Neighbor Davidson. For those whom I have not had the

126opportunity to meet, thank you for the opportunity to address you. Collectively, this board has called for improved student outcomes, which as an engaged and involved parent, I support 100% and I believe the rest of our community does as well. I make the 41st speaker that signed up tonight to be in attendance and to share our thoughts on this topic which will not improve student scores on end of course exams, star scores, AP scores or in the academic progress of students in the classrooms at Legacy High School. Tonight's special board meeting is an expense staff, attorneys, and facilities. If you decide to change the name back to Midland Lee is not simply riding Lee. It's a complete rebranding of signages, buses, and uniforms. Is an application process and submission to TEA that is not free of

127charge. There is an expense. Many of you have stood and spoken on being financially responsible and to put funds into improving our outcomes. But this decision, this topic is not financially responsible. It will cost even though there was a quote of 20 or $30,000, it will cost much more than that. I believe you should put those funds and this meeting should have been on the topic of approving list for our classroom libraries. Our campus is open in 5 days and our students will not be allowed to enter those classroom those libraries on our campuses and check out books until you approve the list of the books on the shelves in the libraries. And we here tonight discussing a name, not what will increase student outcomes. Because as an educator, and any educator will tell you,

128if a student has a book in their hands, they are building their vocabulary, they are learning information, they are increasing their knowledge, and all of those things will lead to improved student outcomes. This topic is not about improving student outcomes. I'm not really sure what the purpose is and why it was called for Mr. Gwyn, but I will say that I stand behind you when you work towards improved student outcomes, but I do not stand behind you and support you when we do things that are against student outcomes. [Applause] >> Thank you. My name is Jean Jones. I am a first four-year graduate of Lee High School in 1965. And I feel compelled to respond to Mr. Gin's announcement which read, "This is not about division. It's about honoring the patriotic legacy that binds us.

129Let's stand firm, protect our heritage, and ensure Midland Lee High School rises as a beacon of our West Texas spirit. In 1961, I was a young, naive girl who lived with my parents in company camps for years and began my high school days at Robert E. Lee High School. I was not taught about segregation, nor did it occur to me that students whose skin color wasn't like mine were forbidden to attend the very new high school in Midland. I have lived in Midland for 64 years and have learned a lot during that time. I have a black daughter-in-law and two grandsons who are partially black, all of whom I love. I cannot imagine what my daughter-in-law went through before desegregation when I was ignorant of what was going on in our community, our state, and

130our nation. Today is a different day. Mr. Gan, I am so ashamed that you had the audacity to want to retain that name. I'm guessing I'm old enough to be your mother, so I'm certain your mother wouldn't approve of your recommendation. >> We need to go forward. >> Mother passed away about 10 years ago. Thank you. >> I saw one great recommendation on Facebook. Name each new high school, Midland West High School and Midland East High School. It's either that or leave it at Legacy High School. Thank you for allowing me to speak. I sincerely urge you to not change the name of Legacy High School. Either leave it as it is or to use the two names that were suggested. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Howard. And the uh Board of Trustees. Don't

131y'all think it's about time we stop this foolish tree? And what I mean by that is half of the people here don't even know how. Would you raise one of those flags up, Mr. Hodge? Give me a minute. Do you know how you got that flag? >> Oh, I know about you. What I'm asking is what I'm asking is half of the people don't know how they got the name the L E. I do because I was there and I'm only saying it's that name because we did not change the name of Lee, Roberty. What I'm asking you is that you have not talked about merit scholars. You've not talked about National Honor Society. You talked about football >> and dignity. You talk about racism, but you never talk about the children, the students. My

132two boys went through both got scholarship to pray university. One teach school, the other one is a computer engineer. And y'all have not said anything about the children, the scholarly, the educational. Talk about sports. Sports is good. My son was a second tier violinist, first tier violinist. The other one played in the in the band and football. But what discouraged me more than anything else is that you can't have revisionist history. You can't go back and change things. Legacy is what it is. The legacy is what it ought to be because everything that have been talked about has to do with the legacy. Can't go back and change it to me. What about the dollars that would be required to go back and change the name when you already talked about there's a shortfall at

133MISD. Doesn't that sound crazy to y'all? It sound like somebody else I know that's real crazier than y'all. But y'all but y'all emulating him. That's where we are today. Don't change the name. Move forward, man. And don't let nobody. >> Thank you, Tom. [Applause] My next two speakers are Shane Dockery, Kayla and Kelly Henry, Shane Dockery, Kayla and Kelly Henry. Shane Dockery. >> Sorry, I couldn't hear. I apologize. Why is the name important? When I was in Bible Journal years ago, I learned the verse, "A good name is more desirable than great riches. To be esteemed is better than silver or gold." Proverbs 22:1. It made an it made an impact on my life. I am proud to be the daughter of Terry and June Williamson. That last name I carried was my identity. When

134I married Justin, I took on the Dockery name. I am proud to be a part of the Dockery legacy and I pray that I bring honor to that name. However, the name Christollower Christian is the name that I cherish and value the most. It is my true identity and who I represent in all that I do and say. When our girls were little, we would use phrases like the dockeries don't hit their sister, the dockeries go to church, the dockeries don't curse, the dockeries are nice to their friends, etc. We wanted our girls to know that how they behaved and what they did leaves an impact on our family name. It goes beyond the dockery name and really how we are representing Christ. I know I fail daily in so many ways of being a

135good representative of Christ and have to ask for forgiveness and try again. However, my heart's desire is to bear his name in a way that draws people to God. Today, we are discussing the renaming of legacy back to Lee. As a Lee graduate, I never thought of myself as racist um or that bearing the name Lee took a negative connotation. I don't believe any of my classmates felt that way either. I was a sophomore at Lee when the Dixie flag was changed and the students submitted artwork for the new flag. It still didn't register the deep meaning behind all of the school's symbols. Fast forward to my oldest daughter, JC, sophomore year in high school and the school board started discussing changing the name from Lee to Legacy. Ji's graduating class of 2022 became the

136first class of Legacy. How the name change happened hurt and angered a lot of people. However, once I started looking into the symbolism and meaning behind the name Lee, I could understand why people wanted to change it. I wouldn't want my girls to attend a school that had demons as the mascot. And I can see how some may view Lee that same way. I can't unknow what I have learned, and I can't turn the other cheek to that information. When my Satie Bug graduates this year, both of my girls will be legacy graduates. I want them to be proud of their high school education and not have their school name stripped from them. I am praying that the board will consider the current students and what's best for the future of Legacy High School because

137a name is important. >> Thank you, Kayla and Kelly Henry. Good evening. Oh, I'm sorry. Good evening, everyone. Thank you for allowing me to speak. Y'all, I cannot explain how I'm shaking right now. Okay, so I know a lot of us have talked about how our students are going to feel, how our black students are going to feel. And I want to just come up here and come from the position of a black student. I went through uh the legacy system. Um, I went to Alamo. Um, my mom spoke previously and um, I went to Lee and I want to tell y'all about what it's like to be a black student. So, it's not too much different from being a black educator. Um, the first day of school, you realize that you're different. You realize

138that there's not a lot of you. You may be one of the only ones in your classes. Um, I remember going to Lee I and I I see a lot of my educators here that I truly admire. Um, Miss McAfee, Mr. Gar, Mr. and Mrs. Garza, Dr. Howard, um, and I saw a few other ones in here, too. I remember Mr. Little John. But something that I can tell you about these people is that they never made me feel different because of my skin color. When I was raised, my mom always taught us how to treat people with love, no matter how you looked. And no matter where you came from, and even as I'm looking on both sides of the room, I have no choice but to look at everyone with love, whether we

139agree or disagree. Um, we don't have to all wear the same color shirt. We don't all have to wave a flag to be in unity. In fact, when I see those flags waved, it reminds me of high school when I would see the trucks of students racing down the school zone flying their flags. I get flashbacks. So, being a black educator, when those memories come back, it's not too far off from being a black student. Um, sometimes it doesn't matter how nice you are, how kind you are. People just won't like you. And that's okay because you learn how to be brave. Um, like I'm feel like I'm being right now. Um, so, uh, I'm probably going to end early. I did not follow any of my notes, but I just want everyone to be

140led by love. Um, I remember the first time one of my students came up to me and she told me that her mom, she was a Hispanic student and she told me her mom did not like black people. And that really shook me because it it just I couldn't imagine a home where racism or prejudice was taught because that was not my home. We were raised around everyone. And I hope coming up here today, I hope all my students remember that I taught them to love everyone. That I stood up for all of my students, no matter what color they were, no matter where they were from, that love is always going to prevail. Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much. Public forum is now over and I would like anybody want >>

141I move to make a 10-minute break. >> Motion seconded that we take a 10-minute break. All those in favor raise your right hand. >> Oh yeah. >> Is unanimous. We will be back. and this meeting has come back together. Appreciate everybody speaking tonight and getting along. The next item on tonight's agenda is agenda item four, action items. A discussion of and request for approval for the naming of the current high school at 3500 Neely Avenue, the freshman high school at,400 East Oak Street, and the future high school at legal description acres 12915 Northwest 4 section 48 block 10is to Milan Lee High School and Milan Lee Freshman High School beginning year 2026 2027. So discussion is now open. We'll just kind of go >> I'll put a motion on the floor. A motion to approve

142action item A as presented. >> Okay, there's a motion. We can still discuss. Is there a second? >> Say that again. >> Second. >> Okay. It's been motioned and second that this board discuss and take possible action on agenda item four. A discussion of and request for approval for the naming of the current high school at 3500 Neely Avenue, the freshman high school at 1400 East Oak Street and the future high school legal description acres 129 915 Northwest 4 section 48 block 40 tumly high school and Milan Lee Freshman High School beginning school year 2026 2027. So it's this needs to be discussed and debated, but there is a pending motion on the floor. So we have to deal with that motion prior to any other motions. >> I want to make sure that there

143is discussion, that there's not going to be another quick motion to move to vote. >> No, we're about to go into discussion, Miss Berles. I just wanted to put my motion on the floor. Let's try now because someone talk Matt. So I'm I have new hearing aids. I had literally got them 10 minutes before this meeting started and there's a lot of background noise so I pulled it out to see if I can hear better. Howard, somebody say something. >> I was saying Mr. Hernandez seconded. >> Uh it's been motioned and seconded. It's on the floor. Yes. >> And we're open for discussion. Matt, >> Miss Burlson, do you want to discuss? It's hard to I feel like a true old man. It's hard to see her and I can't hear very well. >> Yes,

144I do want to discuss. >> Would you like to start us out? >> Uh, somebody else can start it out. >> Okay. Robert's rules. This is 10 10 minutes. Who wants to discuss it? Mr. >> Charges, I'll start. >> Okay. Thank you. >> First off, I'd like to thank everyone for uh for coming out uh tonight. I mean, it's it it's good to have the uh the transparency and the uh and the willingness to come out and and then another time to speak, but on this on this night to have discussions based on the name uh is is something else to me. Uh I've I've lived through what a lot of you I've talked about through racism. I've lived through that myself and the town that I grew up in. So, I truly understand uh

145where a lot of people are coming from on both sides. Uh but one of the things I look at through all this, it's all about adults. There's no students, no children here tonight speaking on behalf of either side. And that's what all seven of us, including our superintendent in our community, should be is is in support of our students for student outcomes. So, one of the things I look at is is one of the things that takes me back uh some years is about student outcomes won't change until adult behaviors change. So, if we don't change our adult behaviors, then how can we expect our students to be successful when we're here with each other going back and forth on a name in 2020 when the name was brought through a committee and we were

146asked to uh to form a committee and that happened and some of us told the committee that we would support the name that was brought to the committee which was the LE. I supported that. It failed and it became Legacy High School. And over five years, I mean, I I I can live with that cuz I know at the time I voted the way I felt was the right way to vote. Uh and it and it happened that way. And I I I went with Legacy High School and there was there's no shame. I had two kids, two children that graduated from Lee High School. And those two student two kids there, I call them kids cuz and they're adults, but they still called it Lee High School. And I understand that because that's where

147they went to school and that's where they graduated. I respect that. But on the flip side of that, I look at name changes. We look at the glory days, if you will, from an athlete standpoint. If you're a good athlete, it don't matter what school you come from. It don't matter what the name is. You're going to shine. You're going to stand out. People are going to know where you from. Whether you from Legacy High School, where you from Midland High School, or where you from Midland Lee High School. I truly understand that and I get that. But the thing I look at is this board, especially some of the new board members coming on, some of their things of talking through uh campaign was we need to turn academics. Academics is our main thing.

148We need to turn academics. We're going to push on academics. I want to do that. I mean, for the years I've been on the board, that's always been my push forward. Whether some people agree with or not, any decision that's made tonight, everyone's not going to be happy. I understand that, too. But the thing about it, I'm here to represent all children. I don't care what district you live in. My ultimate goal for serving students is for all kids. It don't matter the color. It don't matter where you come from, your background, because I was raised in that type of population. And I'm married to Hispanic woman. So, it's not about I'm about black, white, orange, pink, or blue. So, that's where I'm at on that. And then I look at we we we have

149a reduction, if you will, of of letting uh teachers letting teachers go, letting administrators go, losing we lo we lose people because we're in a deficit. I understand that. But then we spend $450 an hour for a school board attorney and we're going to spend other monies to turn a name change. I don't have anything personally about the name Lee. I don't have I mean I supported the LE name but I'm here today on my behalf and on the people that I talked to that live in my district and around the town on if we want to move forward and not have any change then we need to move forward not have any change it doesn't matter if you play for legacy you play for Lee but my deal is is going forward is I

150where I support is leaving the name where it's at and let's try to get better at student outcomes and we all pull together as a community. I don't want it to be divided, but it's gonna it's going to be that way. If if if if anything changes, right, wrong, indifferent, it's going to change people's outlook on one another. And if you want to be mad at me, that's your prerogative. But my deal is is to serve MISD students first. So, I appreciate y'all for being here. [Applause] Yeah, I'd also like to thank everybody for uh coming to speak tonight. We've heard from a lot of people from both sides. Um I personally have no ties to to this school. Um I didn't attend Lee. Um so I'm not familiar with the things that went on

151in the schools uh in the Lee days. Uh I do understand uh both sides why people want to keep it, why people don't want to uh keep it or want to leave a legacy or switch it to Lee. Um but one thing that I ran on when I I campaign is um uh District 1 constituents uh voted for me to represent them and I do my best to do as uh to do that as long as it is in conflict to my faith. Uh tonight my vote will reflect the many emails and calls that I've received for the items on the agenda. So, the majority of the emails that I received was to leave it legacy and that's the way that I'll be voting tonight. >> Thank you. >> I'll go. >> If Mr. Hernandez

152isn't going, I'll go. >> Go ahead, Miss Burles. >> Okay. Um, wow, what a turnout tonight. Um, I think it shows a lot. Social media polls, while popular and easy to create, are not accurate measures of public opinion. They do not represent the demographic of the community. They have self- selection bias. They're built to sway the group, yet the extremes, and no one else. The MRT poll represents less than 1% of our city population. Many people are not even on social media and certainly did not believe this would be used to sway the votes of trustees. People that sent emails with their names attached or an accurate representation of our community. I received only eight emails that want to rename Legacy to Lee. I received 70 emails to keep the name Legacy. That is 12%

153for Lee and 88% for Legacy. Tonight's public comment was also 13% for Lee, only six speakers, and 87% to keep legacy. So to me, we have two solid in-person polls that are consistent. Usually in something divisive, you attempt to get a win-win situation. This is not a win-win situation. But men, at least long-term, it's not even a win-lose situation. We're looking at a lose-lose situation for our students if we change the name back to Lee. While some adults believe they will win if we voted, the division we're witnessing here will follow the school in our community for much longer. This decision has nothing to do with students and everything to do with adults. Adults all mention football, not academics, not fine arts, not students well-being. There is so much more than football in high school.

154But more concerning, it shows the focus and lack of empathy for those players. in the 90s. No one has been told they cannot say they graduated from Robert E. Lee or Lee High School. In fact, Dr. Howard always comments when introducing any graduate of Lee as a graduate of Lee. In 2023, graduates became graduates of Legacy. I realize this was a very difficult transition if you were a junior or senior, but this year all graduates are four-year students at Legacy, and we are four years down the road to building on their legacy. I have yet to hear students stumble on the name Legacy when asked where they attend high school or will attend high school, unlike us adults do. I even do it sometimes. The majority of parents, the 87% here tonight that have children

155all want legacy. The parents that attend legacy, you'll say there's more, wanted it to change, they would have attended this meeting. It tells me they want to keep legacy. Younger families want unity in the community, not division. We are trustees of the school district. Once we take the oath, we are to use our best judgment to decide what's best for our students, even if it differs from our desires. I always put a child's face with each of the emails and public comments because that is who we took an oath to protect. This is a name on a building that students walk through every day. And I'm committed as a trustee to make sure every student is safe, secure, and enters a building that is inclusive of all students. And a name is not the cause

156of that tension. The word legacy doesn't exclude anyone or make them feel uncomfortable, but the name Lee does. As a Christian community, I want to love my neighbor. I want every child to feel included while learning. I want to consider the needs of others above myself. The ugliness I've received in a couple of emails put a burden on my heart that this definitely is not the right thing to do. But this much tension right here in the room over this name is proof it should not be renamed Lee. I cannot consciously vote for a name that is hurtful to people. It is not up to me to judge how hurtful it is to them versus wanting a name back. Our children deserve better than this from adults in 2025. Therefore, I will not be voting

157for the name change. [Applause] >> Thank you. Are you are you good, Miss Bson? >> I am for time being. Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. Next, Mr. Hernandez. Again, I want to thank everybody for being here. U education is one of the most important things anyone can receive. My father was a uh immigrant to this country. He told me, he says, "Life can throw a lot of things at you, but the education you got can never be taken from you." I've served on the board before and this board here I believe is headed in the right direction. We've got a great superintendent that's taking us places. Uh we've got one just one school that we need a little work on and I believe she's going to pull this one out of the fire. As far

158as naming the schools, I really don't care either way. I want student achievement. We have the resources. We have what it takes to make MISD the preeminent school in West Texas, if not Texas. Some people will say, "Well, why why do you want to go back to the name Lee? or rather Roberty Lee. I don't want that. Everybody knows it as Midland Lee, Midland High. When you look at past the name, actually you're in uh Jim Elementary who was also uh involved in the slave trade and that that was a dark dark stain on American history. Nobody can deny that. I want nothing but the best for this district. I will do what I can for this district. I want to see success on level not seen before. Let's learn from history. Let's not erase

159it. That's all I have. >> Thank you. Dr. Freeze. Uh, I got a few questions here. Um, Dr. Howard, this is an important issue to many in our community. Um, if there's a way to make this change, which we are considering without adding to taxpayers burden, I believe it is worth discussing openly. Um, so Dr. Howard, is there a path to change the name from Legacy High School to Lee High School and from Legacy Freshman to Lee Freshman in a way that is budgetneutral and costs the taxpayer nothing? Yes, sir. So, I'll talk about two things. Um, in anticipation of this meeting, our team has worked on what do we have at the two campuses that uh would need rebranding or or renaming. Uh, there's actually very little at either one of the campuses. On

160the low end, it's about 35,000. On the high end, it's about 62,000. Um, many of those items um if they um are removed, they don't have to be replaced. others. I would would think that we could seek donations for those. Uh but definitely not um amending the budget in order to do that. As far as the new campus um out west, um none of the branding on that campus has been finalized or determined. So it' be there would be no additional cost. >> So if the board does make this change, will you commit to pursuing a budget neutral path? Yes, we would commit to that. >> Mr. Leer, would you please I have a question uh some questions for you. Would you please come to the podium? >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. >> Mr. Leer,

161as a trustee, I want to be clear. I will not tolerate racism in any form from anyone toward anyone. I want to ensure that our district's policies and our adherence to state law fully reflect that commitment. Given that position, can you explain how our current district policies and te Texas education code address racism and whether they provide the strongest possible protections to ensure that it is prohibited at MISD? >> Absolutely. Your board policy FB legal and FB local is where you'll find those things. It's a it talks about equal educational opportunity. It doesn't allow discrimination in any way, shape, or form, whether it be race, sex, or otherwise. uh national origin, things like that. You have also other local policies uh that talk about discrimination, FFH for students, DIA for uh employees. You have certain

162statutes under the Texas Education Code and and obviously federal law uh was which is where a lot of this is derived from. If there's ever a complaint about somebody being treated in a racist manner, you can always file agreements with the district where you can go straight to OCR, Office of Civil Rights, excuse me, uh if so needed. So, it's not the things are there that need to be there. They're there in districts across the state. The room is no different. >> Will you commit to reviewing state law and our district policies on an ongoing basis and advising the board and district if there is ever a need to amend, strengthen, or clarify them to uphold this standard? >> Yes, sir. That's part of my current job. >> Okay. Thank you. That's all I have

163for you. So, I have some uh remarks that I kind of prepared and um I was very moved by uh many many um many of you are all testimony tonight. Um I did not grow up with the horrors of racism and um I'm I'm sorry. I I just it's it's it's just it's it's it's very sad and you know it's all I can really say at this point. Um, I've been listening to a really good series on Jonah by Chuck Swindoll and um, one of his the biggest problems of, you know, why he rebelled against God was because of racism. And it's just one of it is it's a sin of the heart. And um, anyway, so um, before us is this issue. We're deciding whether our high school should be called Midland Lee High

164School. Not Robert E. Lee High School, but simply Lee, a name that has deep roots here in Midland. It appears true that in the history of the high school, the evils of racism and prejudice were prevalent. Unfortunately, the same can be said for many other high schools, churches, government buildings across the country from many decades ago. To me, this is not a legitim legitimate reason to tear down, bulldoze, rename, or repaint much of America's infrastructure. In my opinion, it is better to acknowledge the history, honor the good, recognize the bad, and grow from it. The change to legacy took place in 2020. My investigation into the change reveals no true public and democratic campaign on the issue. In fact, two board members went on the radio and promised the public that the name would not

165be changed in no uncertain terms, then voted to change it and appeared to ignore the public's input on potentially just shortening the name to Lee. I've heard reports of how district officials disrespectedly treated our staff and communities, offices, and belongings shortly after this change. I would have liked to put this issue on the ballot. That's that was my uh suggestion when when this thing issue came up as it elicits strong feelings, many times hurt feelings from all sides of the issue. It is my understanding that board leadership had to go ahead to do just that from the county elections office and secretary of state, but Midland County objected and objected after the school board attorney wrote a letter pleading this case. In my opinion, this action by the county is disrespectful not just to this

166board, but to the community at large. I did observe, however, that nearly everyone who wants to leave favors a referendum while nearly everyone who wanted legacy opposed it. It brings to mind King Solomon's judgment. The true mother was willing to risk losing her claim if it meant a fair and just outcome. Here as then, the side most willing to face the test may be the one most confident in its claim. A poll by the Mi Midland Reporter Telegram recorded over 1,800 responses. 75% of the respondents chose Lee and 81% of Lee graduates request Lee. I spent some time last week discussing the mechanics of the poll with our newspaper editor to assess the validity of this survey and I find it to be non-scientific but to be reasonably valid and rep being representative of passionate

167Midlanders. I have asked district and administration here just tonight if there is a pathway forward to implement this action item to rename the schools in a budgetneutral manner costing the taxpayers nothing. administration says yes there is such a pathway and commits to staying on this budget neutral neutral pathway. I personally did not run on changing the name of this school. I ran on academic outcomes, discipline and order and teacher support. I I spent last week uh I I visited 11 schools and 11 principles and I'm doing just that. Um and I and I sit here on this board. I vow to govern with wisdom and to do what is right. We live in a time where being offended has almost become a way of life or an addiction for some. Offense is no longer just

168a human reaction. It's often treated as a badge of honor, a source of identity, the height of moral clarity. I reject the notion that being most offended represents the moral high ground. And like any addiction, being offended requires everinccreasing doses to satisfy it. Today, many names and symbols that stood for decades are increasingly viewed through the lens of grievance. A healthy community cannot thrive if it's constantly renaming, rebranding, and rewriting its own story to suit the outrage of the moment. If we do, we will find ourselves in an endless cycle, tearing down one thing after another until nothing remains of who we were. Already, we see an assault across the country on many historical figures, buildings, and even America's founding documents and law. This toxic politically correct assault not only steals our heritage and traditions,

169it steals the joy of other citizens. In child development, learning to face uncomfortable truths, complex histories, and imperfect traditions is essential for building healthy coping skills and resilience. Let's model tender-heartedness and forgiveness. Let's raise victors who overcome adversity, not perpetual victims. In discussions about the litany of wrongs in history, I prefer New Testament theology. Romans 5:20 says, "Where sin increases, grace abounds so much more." Our past, like every community's past, has moments we do much differently today. But grace allows us to tell the whole story and still build a better future together. Grace means we don't have to erase the past to live redemptively in the present. One of the great traps of our time be pre uh presented as being progressive is the belief that we must live in Old Testament theology, pursuing perpetual

170penance, forever apologizing for the past, never arriving at forgiveness, weaponizing shame and guilt, and never reaching restoration. It's like being stuck in an old system where guilt requires a new sacrifice every day. Not just our guilt, but society's guilt, institutional guilt, and guilt from our forefathers and other people's forefathers. I reject this theology. That's not how people or communities heal. Healthy communities acknowledge wrongs, learn from them, and move forward in unity. I caution the community in listening to self-appointed moral referees and community agitators who claim the authority to decide what's racist, what's offensive, what names must be erased. They parse words for hidden offenses, judge motives they can't possibly know, and condemn anyone who doesn't comply with their shifting rules. This is moral elitism, legalism, and is the spirit of the Pharisees. Outwardly righteous, but

171inwardly driven by pride, and control. They elevate microaggressions while ignoring the deeper work of grace, forgiveness, and unity. Some have asked, "Is this really what Midland wants to stand for?" Let's answer clearly. Midland does not stand for racism. Midland does not stand for exclusion. Midland does not stand for divisiveness. As long as I am on this board, I will stand up to and fight true racism and prejudice and will not conflate the horrors of true intentional racism with the legalistic and morally elitist outrage at every imaginable micro offense by community agitators and dividers. In conclusion, I will tell you about a man from history. This man sailed with the crowns that trafficked in human lives. Some say he was complicit with slavery. This man attempted to kidnap indogenous people who he described as primitive and

172sail back to Europe. Some historians have described him as an impostor, deceitful, cunning, self-promoting, a usurper. This man was called the most enigmatic and controversial figure in early American history. Ralph Waldo Emerson called him a thief. Other historians focused more on his accomplishment. His name Aargo Vaspuchcci, the man for whom America itself was named? America. America the beautiful America the land of the free and home of the brave. God bless America. Now I may ask, who here is proud to be an American? Shall we ban the word America itself? Of course, we won't and we shouldn't because over time the name has taken on a life of its own. It now belongs to all Americans. The same is true for education. We send our best and brightest to Rice, Stanford, Harvard, and Yale. But let's

173ask ourselves, who is William Marsh Rice, Leland Stanford, John Harvard, Eli who Yale? As we sit here tonight at Buouie Elementary, who really was Jim Buouie? Should we rename many of our elementary schools next? >> Some of these namesakes had lives filled with their own controversies, but the institutions themselves have outgrown them. I will vote to name the high school Midland Lee High School in large part due to my interpretation of what the community and most specifically the legacy/e community wants. Not for Robert E. Lee, who the board has explicitly and officially excluded. and what I believe is a very wise compromise. But instead, the name can represent tradition, unity, and achievement in addition to grace, redemption, and harmony. What does the name Lee mean? Lee comes from old English lee, L E Ah, meaning

174meadow or clearing. It can also refer to a sheltered place or protection. This is a great name. In Psalm 23, we read, "He makes me lie down in green meadows. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. I personally believe that God has sovereignty over history. For many of us, our most treasured symbol, the cross, was where the ultimate injustice and evil took place. Yet, God redeemed that symbol itself more than any other symbol. If this redemption can happen to the cross and to any one of us, it can happen for all of our schools, not just one or two. I pray and plead for grace, harmony, redemption, peace, unity, and restoration. Thank you, Mr. Huds. I do have a question unless Mr. Gwyn, you need to speak. >> Go ahead. >> It's

175mainly for Dr. Howard or maybe even uh Mr. Torres. I've had some families ask uh that if I I guess if the name was voted to change that if they could actually transfer from the school. [Applause] All right. Uh yes. So there is UIL um there are rules in place that are governed by the UIL which is our governing body for athletics in Texas that uh are not middle ISD rules that we have to follow. So a change in schools at this point could have implications on eligibility for a student athlete. We have um the has a process in place for previous athletic participation PAPF and that process determines eligibility. What that entails is residence. There's a waiver there's there's a there's a waiver for parent residence and there's also a waiver like where did

176you establish residency and so we will work and continue to work closely as we do and have been with UIL on any situations that arise as they arise >> and go ahead Dr. Howard, >> outside of UIL, we have a um the board actually has policy about student transfers and what constitutes a transfer and so that would be the process that we would follow. >> I mean, I understand that. I just wanted to cuz the questions were asked and I just wanted to get it out to the public so everyone would know uh what was asked and then cuz a lot of times people have questions they don't ask, but you don't ask, you don't know. So, I just wanted to put that out there publicly. >> Thank you for asking that question. That was

177a good one. >> I have a question, too. I have a question. >> Yes, Mr. Burlson. Sorry, I keep looking to my left and you're in front of me. Um, I would also ask that the district pay for anything that's going to come of people wanting to transfer because of this if it happens. Um, that they will help them navigate and uh not make this a burden on the families that want to leave. >> It needs to be made very simple for them. >> Yes, ma'am. Dr. Howard, do you want to speak to that? >> So, I believe our transfer process has I mean it's available. Um, Miss Her oversees that. Uh, we've actually about I guess a year and a half, two years ago, the board strengthened that policy to make it um more

178difficult to get transfers because we had students all over the place. Uh from a UIL perspective, we'll certainly um do everything we can to help, but we have to also be mindful of UIL rules and not um overstep our bounds because that has to be pretty neutral and it goes to ultimately the district executive committee. Um if they um do not uh grant the waiver, then it can be appealed all the way to the state. Um, I've actually been through that myself as a parent and so, uh, the process is is pretty simple, pretty self-explanatory and our athletic department, um, would be glad to answer any questions on that. >> Have another question. I'd like to know how many emails were received from each of the board members that were for Lee and how many

179for Legacy. [Music] >> What was the question again? This >> I'd like to know how many emails were received for to change the name to Lee and how many were received to to keep it as legacy. >> We would have to get that for you. I got a ton of emails not to change it and I got emails to change it. I would say just off the cuff shooting from the hip. I got more to keep it, but that's same. I mean, just like this room, this is just a small segment of the overall population of Midland. >> Well, then if we're going to say that it's just a small population, then we need to reform a committee to come up with a name the name change again. A lot of things have changed in

1805 years. And I would suggest that we do a committee to rename before you rename it cuz you're doing the same thing the last board did. You didn't accept theirs, but now you're going to accept what they saw. And >> I I appre I appreciate that, Miss Burlson, but unfortunately it's already been motioned and seconded, and there's a motion on the floor to vote on the name change, and that has to unless we're going to amend or strike, but I don't think that we can amend and strike this. >> Well, of course, it's that way. So, uh, but a renaming committee with only parents of children who attend our schools would be more beneficial to our comm to our community in this event than what we're doing today. We're doing nothing but going to cause

181a huge division with a 5-year-old poll or a 5-year-old committee that needs to be reformed to do this. But again, because this was done on the >> I appreciate that. I can appreciate that, Miss Bolman, but again, it's been motioned and seconded and there's a motion on the floor to be voted on there. I will clear this whole room, Miss Burlson. It has been motioned and seconded and there is a motion on the floor to vote on. I appreciate that fact, but if this board sees fit to vote on it and vote it forward, then so be it. or we were and everyone has gone and I don't think we're anybody's going to change anybody's mind in this room. The only thing that I will say about it is pretty short and sweet for the

182most part. Under Texas law, school boards possess broad authority to manage and govern independent school districts, including the name of schools and facilities. The Texas Education Code Chapter 11 establishes that an independent school district is governed by a board of trustees, which oversees the management of the district as a body corporate. This includes discretionary powers over administrative decisions such as naming new or existing schools as part of their role in administering public education. The state delegates significant authority to locally elected boards allowing them to adopt policies and make decisions that will reflect community needs provided they comply with state and federal laws. Naming the new secondary school Midland Lee is lawful under Texas state law is there is no statewide prohibitation prohibitation of such names and school boards hold the explicit authority to select names

183as part of district oversight. This process aligns with federal requirements. It also follows MISD's board policy, specifically CW local naming facilities, which requires board approval for all naming decisions, and outlines permissible categories, individuals who have rendered outstanding service to the district or community, geographical areas, or any other deemed appropriate by the board. The policy emphasizes transparency and community engagement as demonstrated in recent naming processes. I would like to thank the Midland Reporter Telegram and the Hurst Corporation for providing another reliable community survey showing the overwhelming support for naming the campus Midland High School. Midland complies with this. It does not reference any one specific individual but explicitly references the school's 60 years of family hard work and accomplishments in sports and academics. And it is also fitting with our board policy under other names. As

184far as the cost goes, as Dr. Freeze and Dr. Howard spoke earlier. There is no cost to the taxpayers for current campuses and the new construction costs for the new location have already been allocated by the previous board and community bond committee in the approval of the 2023 bond for branding. This board is the only board across the entire state of Texas that reduced the deficit budget by 84% originally over $40 million and is now south of 7 million without having a significant negative impact on classrooms. As far as academic questions go, this board is focused on academics turnaround and every campus becoming at least a B campus. We have proven that by doing one of the heaviest overall academic policy lifts in the history of Texas. It is myopically focused on academics. We will

185continue to use every tool there is including stool choice to stay focused that every student is in a highquality seat and has an opportunity for a highquality education coming from Midland. And as far as noise and not being focused on academics, that would also be correct because this agenda, as Mr. Gwyn asked to have it put on, is during the summer where school is not in session. So we could have this emotional conversation now so we can focus back on school and academics moving forward when the new school year starts. And I want to tell everyone, I appreciate y'all being here. I understand the different perspectives. Thank y'all for getting along. It's emotional, but as for me, I will vote to name the new school, Midland High School. There's a motion on the floor. >>

186I had one more question. >> Time is up. Debate is over. There's a motion on the floor. We're taking the vote. Take the vote. >> I've asked for two things to be in the agenda that have never been put on the agenda. So, is the Facebook the way to get something on the agenda? Ma'am, we're taking Miss Burlson, all due respect, Mr. We're taking a vote. All those >> will you answer my question to get there is a motion that's been seconded and it's on the floor. Agenda item A, action item A, discussion of and request for approval for the naming of the current high school at 3500 Neely Avenue, the freshman high school at 1400 East Oak Street and the future high school at legal description acres 12915 Northwest 4 section 48 block 40

187TIS to Midland High School and Midland Freshman High School beginning school year 2026 2027 has been motioned and seconded and it all those In favor of naming that new school Midland High School, raise your right hand. >> Of course. No. >> Motion passes. All the Do you want to take a on record vote? All those against raise your right hand. >> Thank you. >> Motion Motion passes. Thank y'all. Now, next on the agenda item is is number five, close session in accordance with mo government code section 551.0. 01 section 551.071 for the purpose of private consultation with the board's attorney on any and all subject matters authorized by law, including to provide legal advice regarding a level three hearing on a student matter. Section 551.074 for the purpose of considering the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassessment,

188duties, discipline, or dismissal. [Applause] Someone get her. Some dismissal of a public officer employer to hear complaints or charges against a public officer employee section 551.082 for the purpose of deliberation in a case involving discipline of a public school child including discussion of a level three hearing on a student matter. I have recused myself. I have recused myself from this and Vice President Gwyn will close out the meeting. Secretary, if you will note, Secretary Hernandez, it is it is 8:59. Please note, Secretary Hernandez, it's 8:59 and I'm excusing myself. And Vice President Gwyn will close out the meeting after y'all come back from executive if there's any business. Thank you. Hey everybody. [Music] [Applause] Clear the boardroom. Clear the boardroom. Clear the boardroom. [Music] [Applause] Everybody else. [Applause] your account [Music] better than this. Hallelujah.

189The time is now 11:10 p.m. on um August 12th, 2025 and the board is reconvening into open session after heard a level three appeal uh followed by JN and JV conducted in close session pursuant to section 551.074, 551.082 and 551.0821 of the Texas Government Code. The board then adjourned into executive session pursuant to section 551071 and 551074 of the Texas Government Code. In accordance with chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code, any action regarding this matter must be taken in open session. Uh we heard the two grievances. Do I have a motion on the first one? We heard grievance JN. I move to uphold the decision of the level two hearing officer in the grievance appeal of JN. >> I have a Do I have a second? >> Second. >> It has been motioned and

190seconded. All in favor? Let the record show it was uh 50. Do I have a motion for the second agreements we heard for uh JV? I I move to deny the grievance appeal of JB and uphold the decision of the level two hearing officer. >> I have a motion. Do I have a second? >> I would have uh do we need to second uh before we make comment? >> Uh let's Yeah, let's go ahead and get the second then we'll uh make a make a comment on it. >> You second it, Mr. Bishop. >> Yes, sir. I'll second. >> So, Dr. Howard, this one right here, we we as a board um there's definitely some room of improvement in this area. And we would ask or not ask really, we request that uh we go

191back and look at the training uh for the administrators on that campus and let's um you know make make sure we're up to speed on our training there. uh even if they've done it, we probably need to circle back up on that and ensure that we know the reporting process and um make sure not not just for uh the principal but also her APs as well. Would you like to add anything, Mr. Bish? >> Yeah, I mean I'd like for Dr. Howard to uh maybe reflect on all of our our campus administrators that they understand the u the importance and the and the u the formality on on that being done. Go ahead, M. >> I'd also like to talk. I I would like us to um not only do that, but uh really re-examine

192whatever we're using to train um our campus administrators and both reporting to parents and to authorities and uh handling these situations. So, I'd like to re-evaluate that and then also make sure that uh we we're doing rigorous training for all of our principles and assistant principles. Okay. Anybody else? Okay. With that, uh we'll we'll vote. Um all in favor for the record, it's five 50 vote. Uh, with that being said, the last item on la last item on the agenda is to adjurnn. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? Motion seconded. All in favor? Thank you.