Austin tries to rename elementary school: goes poorly

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I'd have voted for James Earl Ray Elementary. Seemed to be the most original of those given, though the Adam Lanza one was classic too.

[The Free North]

Just looked through the full list. Other highlights include:

Generic School Name
Kanye West Elementary
Kim Il-Sung High School
Lil Jon Elementary
Orenthal James Simpson Elementary
Raul Castro Elementary
Rudolf Hess Primary
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin Elementary School

Oh man...these had me in tearms.

I think with such a diverse list, how about they combine some of the elements:

Like the 'Rudolf Hess and Lil Jon school of Leninism'

[The Free North]

Also, the sneaky 'Leopold II' elementary was pretty brutal.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Also, the sneaky 'Leopold II' elementary was pretty brutal.

Especially the jungle gym on the playground, I bet.

[Bojack Horseman]

Schooly McSchoolface gets my vote.

[This account no longer in use.]

Just got renamed. Sadly, none of the actually good suggestions were chosen; it was instead renamed Russell Lee Elementary.

[dax00]

Awww, I was holding out on Kim Il-Sung High School, because if you can't do high school work at an elementary school age, you know...

[Comrade Funk]

Robert E. Lee was the greatest American general in history and deserves much more respect than he's given these days. Instead of whitewashing history into what makes people feel good, history should be preserved in a fair, even-handed way.

Did you go to Benedict Arnold High School by any chance or do you just like traitorous scum?

[Kingpoleon]

Robert E. Lee was the greatest American general in history and deserves much more respect than he's given these days. Instead of whitewashing history into what makes people feel good, history should be preserved in a fair, even-handed way.

Lee opposed slavery more than some unionists did. However, he put Virginia first and foremost. I don't know that I can fault him that.

[ag]

Or even the "William T. Sherman Elementary School", with a burning Confederate flag out front.

Sounds good to me.

[Santander]

Robert E. Lee was the greatest American general in history and deserves much more respect than he's given these days. Instead of whitewashing history into what makes people feel good, history should be preserved in a fair, even-handed way.

Did you go to Benedict Arnold High School by any chance or do you just like traitorous scum?

Regardless of what you think about the Civil War, Lee was a great general, and as mentioned by Kingpoleon, was simply loyal to Virginia before the Union, which was a common attitude at the time. In my opinion, and those of many non-Southern historians, Lee was a greater general than Winfield Scott, Ulysses Grant, or any other general that fought under the US flag.

And yes, since I was born British, I've always considered Benedict Arnold to be a hero.

[Comrade Funk]

Robert E. Lee was the greatest American general in history and deserves much more respect than he's given these days. Instead of whitewashing history into what makes people feel good, history should be preserved in a fair, even-handed way.

Did you go to Benedict Arnold High School by any chance or do you just like traitorous scum?

Regardless of what you think about the Civil War, Lee was a great general, and as mentioned by Kingpoleon, was simply loyal to Virginia before the Union, which was a common attitude at the time. In my opinion, and those of many non-Southern historians, Lee was a greater general than Winfield Scott, Ulysses Grant, or any other general that fought under the US flag.

And yes, since I was born British, I've always considered Benedict Arnold to be a hero.

There are a lot of great generals and military leaders the United States have opposed. Doesn't mean we should name a school after one of them

[Zioneer]

Robert E. Lee was the greatest American general in history and deserves much more respect than he's given these days. Instead of whitewashing history into what makes people feel good, history should be preserved in a fair, even-handed way.

Hahaha, no. He wasn't the best, he was facing off against incompetents. Once he faced actually competent generals, he didn't do so well. He was also not Confederate Jesus, he was the last gasp of the Southron slaveholding aristocrats.

[Zioneer]

Rename it to "Abraham Lincoln Elementary School" or "Frederick Douglass Elementary School". I love the smell of neo-Confederate tears.

Or even the "William T. Sherman Elementary School", with a burning Confederate flag out front.

Also, even though the new name has already been chosen, I like these ideas.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Just got renamed. Sadly, none of the actually good suggestions were chosen; it was instead renamed Russell Lee Elementary.

One of the great photographers of the Depression-Era South and West, and one with a connection to Austin.   Excellent choice.

[Badger]

Robert E. Lee was the greatest American general in history and deserves much more respect than he's given these days. Instead of whitewashing history into what makes people feel good, history should be preserved in a fair, even-handed way.

Other then the fact he engineered the killing of tens of thousands of soldiers of the UNITED States of America.

He's basically John Lindh Walker with regional nostalgia. A traitor who served a genocidal cause.

[Lief 🗽]

Yeah, Russell Lee is a very good choice, and he's actually an Austinite. Unlike Robert E. Lee who I doubt ever even set foot in Texas. It's bizarre that there was a school named after him in Austin in the first place.

[Gary J]

Yeah, Russell Lee is a very good choice, and he's actually an Austinite. Unlike Robert E. Lee who I doubt ever even set foot in Texas. It's bizarre that there was a school named after him in Austin in the first place.

The Wikipedia article on John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry mentions a Texas connection for Robert E. Lee.

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[MyRescueKittehRocks]

Robert E. Lee is probably the only Confederate figure I'm willing to defend. Now, had this been Stonewall Jackson or Jefferson Davis, I would've been fine with them removing the name.

.

Stonewall Jackson stays too.

[MaxQue]

Robert E. Lee is probably the only Confederate figure I'm willing to defend. Now, had this been Stonewall Jackson or Jefferson Davis, I would've been fine with them removing the name.

.

Stonewall Jackson stays too.

Why not a Rommel High School? After all, they both killed American soldiers.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

Robert E. Lee is probably the only Confederate figure I'm willing to defend. Now, had this been Stonewall Jackson or Jefferson Davis, I would've been fine with them removing the name.

.

Stonewall Jackson stays too.

Why not a Rommel High School? After all, they both killed American soldiers.

Mythos Rommel History Magnet School

[RINO Tom]

How about rename it to Jefferson Davis Elementary School?  That would be a great blow to the PC crowd.

YEAH!  Name a school after a treasonous, slavery-supporting piece of shlt because the "PC crowd" will hate it!!

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Robert E. Lee was the greatest American general in history and deserves much more respect than he's given these days. Instead of whitewashing history into what makes people feel good, history should be preserved in a fair, even-handed way.

Did you go to Benedict Arnold High School by any chance or do you just like traitorous scum?

Santander is a racist, you see.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Robert E. Lee is probably the only Confederate figure I'm willing to defend. Now, had this been Stonewall Jackson or Jefferson Davis, I would've been fine with them removing the name.

.

Stonewall Jackson stays too.

Why not a Rommel High School? After all, they both killed American soldiers.

A Union General's middle name and an Union ironclad were both named after a famous Shawnee Chief who aided the British in the War of 1812. 

I don't think many people really believe killing American soldiers is the issue with Jackson and Lee.

[Shameless Lefty Hack]

Oh man, Willie Nelson Elementary.

I mean, he is from TX. It could work.