District debates whether to drop name tied to Confederacy

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (AP) — The Dixie School District in San Rafael is considering whether to change its name after some parents say it’s linked to the Confederacy and slavery.

Hundreds of people packed the school board meeting Tuesday in the San Francisco Bay Area city, which is wealthy and considers itself progressive.

The board could postpone a decision, keep the name or change it to one of 13 proposed alternatives.

The issue has pitted parents against each other in weeks of testy online exchanges. Promoters claim the 150-year-old district was named on a dare by Confederate sympathizers. Opponents say the 1,700-student district was named for a Miwok Indian woman, Mary Dixie.

The board heard hours of public comment but hadn’t reached a decision as of late Tuesday night.