After deliberating for hours early Friday morning, the Shenandoah County school board in Virginia voted to restore the names of three Confederate officers to schools in the district.
The recent vote reversed a decision made four years ago after George Floyd's killing ignited calls for racial justice nationwide.
In July 2020, during the pandemic and protests, the board voted 5-1 in a virtual meeting to change the names of two schools - Ashby-Lee Elementary and Stonewall Jackson High - to align with an anti-racism resolution, according to The New York Times.
The anger was palpable in rural Virginia as people flooded school board meetings and criticized the name changes, calling the move hasty and lacking in transparency.
Many expressed deep resentment over the marginalization, perceiving it to be a forced cultural change.
Following a vote that resulted in a tie in 2022, the name changes remained final. But those fighting against the change vowed to revive Stonewall Jackson.
And on Friday, he was.
Tom Streett, one of the board members, told the Times,
"When you read about this man-who he was, what he stood for, his character, his loyalty, his leadership, how godly a man he was-those standards that he had were much higher than any leadership of the school system in 2020."
The predominantly white county, like many others across the U.S., has reversed such decisions made back in 2020, even going as far as scaling back or removing curriculum entirely that focuses on the country's racial history.
Politicians continue to push back against "critical race theory,' with some schools restoring mascots previously deemed racially offensive.
Marty Helsey, a 73-year-old farmer who served one term, was the only voter in 2020 who opposed dropping the Confederate names.
"They cannot let it go," Helsey said before the vote on Friday.
"It's been four years! The Civil War only lasted four years!"
Three Shenandoah County board members who voted in 2022 to keep the new school names have decided not to run for reelection this year.
Aliyah Ogle, 14, whose mother was one of two Black people in her class, has scrapped plans for attending the school herself next year.
"Jackson died fighting for slavery," said the 14-year-old.
"Had he won, I would not be allowed to attend public school, and I would not be speaking here today."
Those who advocated for the old names insisted that they hadn't witnessed the racism at Stonewall Jackson that others spoke about.
"Some people say they take offense to the school names," stated Fred Neese, 69, a poultry farmer.
"I'm offended that they're disparaging the good names of our ancestors. I'm offended that the previous board was not straightforward with the people."
