Midland ISD Votes to Restore Legacy High School Name to Lee

The Midland Independent School District (ISD) board voted 4-3 to rename Legacy High School and its freshman school back to Midland Lee High School, effective in the 2026-27 school year. This decision reverses the 2020 renaming that removed the Confederate-linked Robert E. Lee name, as part of a broader movement to distance public institutions from Confederate symbols. Supporters of the change, led by Trustee Josh Guinn, argue the original name honors a patriotic legacy and school pride rather than the Confederacy. Opponents cited the name's racist history and expressed strong opposition during a lengthy public forum, which ended in chaos after the vote. This renaming reversal is notable as potentially the first instance in Texas and only the second in the United States where a school has reverted from a non-Confederate name back to one linked to the Confederacy. The decision has ignited controversy and debate about heritage, history, and racial sensitivity within the community.