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Robert E. Lee Elementary renamed Russell Lee Elementary

After several months of debate, the board of trustees with Austin's school board renamed Robert E. Lee Elementary School Monday night.

Credit: Getty Images

After several months of debate, the board of trustees with Austin's school board renamed Robert E. Lee Elementary School Monday night.

The board chose Russell Lee Elementary, which was favored among the school's parents and teachers. Russell Lee was a critically acclaimed Depression-era photographer and the founding professor of the University of Texas photography department.

Lee's name was among three finalists that were narrowed down from hundreds of potential names submitted by the community.

As a last minute amendment, the district decided to name the kindergarten hallway after Bettie Mann, the first African American teacher at the school who taught there for more than 37 years.

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