Robert E. Lee High School (Fairfax County, Virginia)

Robert E. Lee High School (Lee High School) opened in 1958 and is located in Springfield, Virginia. The school is part of the Fairfax County Public Schools system, and it is named after Robert E. Lee, the general of the Confederate troops in the American Civil War. The school mascot is the Lancer.HistoryAt the time the school opened, the Fairfax County school board was opposing racial integration of its schools and the name reflected the school board's sentiments. According to the above unsourced and controversial footnote: "In Fairfax County,.... they defiantly named their next two high schools after Confederate army generals—J.E.B. Stuart and Robert E. Lee." In the School Board meeting minutes of 5/20/1958, Lee High School was simply named "Lee" for the Lee district. The battle for the school name began on Dec 7th 1954, three years before construction had started and three and a half years before the school was opened and numerous articles spoke to the acrimony in the communities of Franconia and Springfield who both wanted to claim the school name for their community.This school was located on Franconia Rd, on the border of Franconia and Springfield, the area had a Springfield address, and it was in the Lee district of Virginia.In Feb 4th 1958 Meeting a local historical group suggested a compromise. The Upper Pohick Community League submitted a letter proposing that the School Board adopt a policy naming Fairfax County schools for prominent Virginians instead of by place names and that the Franconia High School be renamed something like "Fitzhugh, Lee, etc."