I write this, not to defend the man Robert E. Lee, but to defend the name of our historic Lee High School. Our school is rich in history of accomplishments in the classroom and on the field of play. Once we change the name of our school, all that goes away in a flash.
Francis Collins did not graduate from Staunton High School, e graduated from Robert E. Lee High School. Kevin Madden, John Peduto, Preacher Maddox, Mark Newlen, Dickie Bell and countless others did not graduate and win state championships from Staunton High School.They did it for Robert E. Lee High School. The high school coach with the best winning record, Paul Hatcher, did not win a single game for Staunton High School. He won every one of those games for Robert E. Lee High.
Are we to just sweep all that away with a swift broom of political correctness. People from all over ask, when you say you are from Staunton, "Oh yes, Lee High School, great sports program." They know nothing of Staunton High School. Are we willing to, at great cost, just willy-nilly throw all that away and start at square one again? What of all the trophies in the hall display case? Surely we will not still display them as a reminder of Robert E. Lee. Will they be tossed aside in the trash along with the letters on front of the building?
I urge those in power to consider what they do has far reaching consequences.
JIM SHOWALTER
Staunton