TPS Board Votes To Postpone Renaming 'Lee Elementary'

The Tulsa Public School Board voted unanimously to postpone the renaming of Lee Elementary until the next board meeting.

On Monday, the board was able to hear opposition and support regarding the name.  Parents and community members at the meeting were very split on whether to change the name.

Valerie Fischer lives in Maple Ridge and all eight of her kids go to Lee Elementary.  She says this process has been drawn out and hopes that the school board can come to a decision soon.

In the past few months, the school board has met several times to discuss the renaming of the school.  Many people said they didn’t feel that the process was fair.

8/4/2018 Related Story:  TPS To Discuss New Names For Lee Elementary On Monday

Keisha Floyd, a member of the ad hoc committee, says “the overall process has been messy but plays a crucial role.”

The ad hoc committee has been meeting for months to come up with different possible names for Lee and last week they decided to recommend the name Council Oak Elementary to the board.

The committee says Council Oak represents the historic site where the Muscogee Creek Nation held its first council fires after being removed from the southeastern United States.

“We look forward to the opportunity to educate about this silent yet powerful piece of history,” said Neely Tsoodle from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

But many are still split on whether or not the name “Lee” should remain on the outside of the school.

“This cannot be erased,” said Josh Schultz.  “We cannot come in and say this name means whatever we want it to be.”

Tulsa Public Schools says their goal is to have a name decided on by the time school starts on August 22nd.