Midland ISD just became the first school district in the State of Texas to reinstate a Confederate-linked name, voting Tuesday night to revert Midland Legacy High School back to Midland Lee in a 4-3 vote at a special meeting. The change will take effect in the 2026-27 school year.

Robert E. Lee High School, named after the Confederate general, was opened in 1961 as a segregated campus. Midland Lee became a football powerhouse in the decades that followed, winning three consecutive state championships from 1998-2000 behind legendary running back Cedric Benson. The high schools' athletic program unified the town, but the name garnered more scrutiny than ever after the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and the wave of national protests against racial injustice. That July, Midland ISD approved dropping the Lee moniker in favor of Legacy, which has served as the name for five academic calendars. 

On July 4, Midland ISD Vice President Josh Guinn, who was elected in 2024, announced his intentions to change the name back.

"Here in Midland, Texas, our traditions—forged by generations of hardworking Midlanders—are the bedrock of our community," Guinn wrote in a Facebook post. "These are not mere names; they are symbols of our shared pride, our unyielding commitment to unity, and our gratitude to the thousands who've funded this school to elevate education and strengthen our town. This is not about division—it's about honoring the patriotic legacy that binds us. Let's stand firm, protect our heritage, and ensure Midland Lee High School rises as a beacon of our West Texas spirit."

According to reporting from the Texas Tribune, the last name change cost the school district $2 million to update the school's athletic and band uniforms, as well as other signage around the campus. School Board member Tommy Bishop told the publication this name change could cost the school roughly $20,000.

The Midland Reporter-Telegram conducted a community survey in which 75 percent of respondents favored changing back to Lee. There were several reasons stated, including alumni who felt "Lee" represented decades of shared memories, that the name has only marginal association with Robert E. Lee, and that the 2020 renaming was part of the "woke" agenda and an attempt to erase history.

Opponents to the renaming cited that Lee was a slaveholder who fought against the United States, and the school's naming after him invoked racist symbolism. Opponents also said it was a waste of taxpayer dollars to undo the investments in changing Lee to Legacy originally.