A federal trial is set to begin this week in Harrisonburg as the NAACP Virginia State Conference and five Shenandoah County families challenge the Shenandoah County School Board’s decision to restore Confederate names at two public schools. According to court filings, the plaintiffs argue that the board’s actions violated students’ civil and constitutional rights.
What the Trial Will Examine
The case — a bench trial before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia — centers on whether reinstating the names Stonewall Jackson High School and Ashby Lee Elementary created a discriminatory environment for students. The plaintiffs claim the decision imposed a racially charged and politically loaded message on students, violating federal protections.
Trial Details
- Dates: December 11–19, 2025
- Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with opening statements the morning of December 11
- Location: U.S. District Court, 116 North Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA, Room 314
The families are represented by the Washington Lawyers’ Committee and Covington & Burling LLP. Their complaint, filed June 11, 2024, asserts violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act.
Background and Prior Ruling
In a key decision on September 9, 2025, Judge Michael Urbanski found that the school board violated students’ First Amendment rights by requiring them to effectively endorse the Stonewall Jackson name and its Confederate symbolism. That ruling will factor heavily into the arguments presented at trial.
The plaintiffs maintain that restoring the Confederate names forces students — particularly students of color — to bear and promote a message tied to racial oppression and that doing so undermines their educational environment and sense of belonging. They intend to present testimony on how the names affect learning outcomes and personal well-being.
The school board, meanwhile, will have the opportunity to defend its decision and offer constitutional and statutory justifications for reverting to the historic names.
SOURCE: WHSV3