Three high schools in Montgomery that are named after men who served in the Confederacy could receive new titles after a Tuesday night vote from the Montgomery County Board of Education.

According to reporting done by the Montgomery Advertiser, the district is requesting a waiver from a state committee created by the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act of 2017 that oversees requests to alter any historical building more than 40 years old.

The City of Montgomery does not have its own school system; all schools in the city are run by the Montgomery County Board of Education.

If the waiver is not granted, the district would be required to pay a $25,000 fine for each high school they rename. More than $42,000 has been raised online, with the goal of paying for the penalty should that become necessary.

In the wake of George Floyd’s death in late May, many southern communities have sought to rename or replace institutions that get their title from members of the Confederacy.

An effort in Montgomery sprung up in recent days to try and keep the name of Sidney Lanier High School, with supporters of the effort arguing that Lanier was a minor figure in the Confederacy and was more notable for his contributions to the arts.

Member Lesa Keith voted against renaming any of the schools. School Board President Clare Weil joined with her to vote against renaming Sidney Lanier, but ultimately the board as a whole decided to rename all three institutions.

Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@new-yhn.local or on Twitter @HenryThornton95