This school won’t rename Robert E. Lee Auditorium, but not for the reason you’d think

A school district in North Carolina responded publicly Thursday after several people questioned the naming of Robert E. Lee Auditorium at Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines, North Carolina.

In a Facebook post, the school district explained that the auditorium is not directly named for the Confederate general, but for the district’s superintendent from 1959 to 1985. Superintendent Lee, who oversaw consolidation of local schools that became Pinecrest High in the 1960s, “is highly regarded for his work during integration,” the school system wrote.

The post also pointed out that Lee was recognized as a North Carolina Superintendent of the Year.

The announcement comes after Charlottesville, Virginia, protests turned violent over the weekend, leading to the death of one woman and injuring several others as a vehicle rammed into a crowd.

Since then, people have questioned and even damaged Confederate war monuments across the state.

The district’s Facebook post drew mixed reactions.

Some people expressed disappointment that others had reached out to the school system about the name.

Others had no issue with people wanting to know the origin of the label in the auditorium.

This story was originally published August 17, 2017 at 5:36 PM with the headline "This school won’t rename Robert E. Lee Auditorium, but not for the reason you’d think."