York County’s school board heard Monday night from citizens who want them to change the name of Magruder Elementary school because of its association with the name of Confederate General John B. Magruder.
“I believe you have no choice but to rename Magruder” said Barbara Haywood, who served on the school board 25 years. She suggested Magruder be renamed Bruton Elementary, a suggestion echoed by several other speakers.
The name of a Confederate general “no longer represents who we are,” District 2 resident Samuel Ray said.
“If he were living, I don’t think he would like me,” noted Ryan Lassiter, a 3d grader at Magruder who is black.
Eight of the 11 speakers at the school board’s regular meeting Monday night were in favor of the name change.
At a work session last week, board members asked Superintendent Victor D. Shandor to bring a proposal for how they could survey county residents about the idea, but…