- York County School Division seeks community feedback on renaming Magruder Elementary School.
- Deadline for survey responses: July 18, 2025.
- Reason for potential change: School name linked to Confederate General John Bankhead Magruder, who:
- Ordered the 1861 burning of Hampton.
- Captured and killed runaway slaves during the Civil War.
- Historical context: School may be indirectly named after Magruder via the displaced Black community village of Magruder, impacted by Camp Peary’s creation.
- Advocacy: Grassroots group, Campaign for Honorable and Inclusive School Names, pushes for the name change.
- Related precedent: The group previously advocated for renaming James Blair Middle School in Williamsburg-James City County, but the change was rejected after a public survey.
To take the survey, visit survey.k12insight.com/r/h7HYU2.
