The Austin ISD board of trustees approved renaming Robert E. Lee Elementary School in Central Austin during its regular board meeting March 28, beginning a process that includes finding a new name for the school that ends May 23.

The board voted 8-0 with one abstention.

Trustee Ann Teich abstained from voting, saying she could not support a name change because she is unsure if both sides of the issue can come together despite the name change, adding that she abstained from voting because she did not approve of the “nasty” comments made by some who opposed the name change.

Supporters of the name change have argued for months that the school should not be named after a Confederate figure.

“I thank [Lee Elementary] parents, PTA members and others in the community who had the courage to finally ask trustees to do what should have been done decades ago,” trustee Edmund Gordon said.

During the process from March 29 to April 15, the public can submit name suggestions to AISD. AISD staff and a Lee committee will then work to get school name proposals narrowed down for board consideration in May.