This story was reported and written by our media partner Williamsburg Watch.
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The name of a Confederate general “no longer represents who we are,” District 2 resident Samuel Ray said.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 third 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 it was not discussed Monday.
“I’d like to hear what the community says,” said District 1 Representative Mark J. Shafer, in whose district the school is located.
The future of Magruder’s name has been in play since 2020, when Bruton resident Mary Lassiter and her brother Carl Lassiter began a campaign to rename Magruder Elementary as well as James Blair Middle School in Williamsburg.
Lassiter was one of the speakers Monday and also recommended changing the name to Bruton Elementary.
The school board also voted 4-1 to approve the schools’ $201 million budget for the 2026 fiscal year that starts in July.
District 5 Representative Lynda J. Fairman was the sole vote against, saying she opposed the recent tax increase on county residents.
“Throwing money at schools does not guarantee excellence and it keeps going up by millions every year,” she said.
The other four board members disagreed with Fairman’s comments.
“We are still in the bottom third of the state in per pupil spending and we have the best results,” said Shafer.
