Liberty Magnet High School

In December 2019, twenty-four students were suspended after a video of what was labeled an unofficial "fight club" was leaked on social media.[17] Students reportedly fought in the school locker-room while wearing boxing gloves brought by another student. It is unclear how long this had been going on prior to the disciplinary action taken in December but student Thomas London Jr. stated, "[it started] back in late August, September" when London and their "friends were sitting around talking and someone said they had [boxing] gloves."[18] Students stated that athletic coaches knew about the fights but did nothing about it. It is unclear if internal action was taken towards these coaches.

Liberty Magnet High School has been targeted for name changes multiple times throughout its new life. The East Baton Rouge Parish school system held multiple public meetings to discuss new names for the school. The school board in the end decided not to rename the school.[1] When the school became a magnet school it was renamed from "Robert E. Lee High School" to "Lee Magnet High School They had felt that Sidney Lanier, a poet, was inappropriately grouped in with Jefferson Davis and Robert. E. Lee. Marlin McMillians, the president of the association, has explained that the school was named for Lanier's time as a poet, not ties to the Confederacy.

A screenshot of board member Connie Bernard shopping during the meeting

In June 2020, the name of the school became the center of controversy as many residents questioned the purpose of memorializing the legacy of Lee. Many, including the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC), announced their support of the name change, with Adam Knapp, CEO of BRAC, saying, "Our leadership felt it was time to make a change in the name of that school."[19]

On June 18, 2020, the East Baton Rouge School Board held a meeting about the school's name. Connie Bernard, a board member who has been serving since 2010, defended the school's name, telling community members to “learn a little bit more about” Lee saying that "General Lee inherited a large plantation, and he was tasked with the job of doing something with those people who lived in bondage to that plantation – the slaves – and he freed them."[20][21] Community leader Gary Chambers Jr. photographed Bernard on her laptop shopping during the meeting, posting it on his Facebook before addressing the board.[22] The three minute video of Chambers criticizing Bernard went viral on social media, with LeBron James, Shannon Sharpe, and Ava DuVernay retweeting the video.[23][24][25][26][27][28] After the speech, Chambers uploaded a 2-minute video on Instagram explaining his perspective, calling for Bernard to resign, and containing a 20-second video of Bernard on her laptop.[29]

Bernard has been called to resign by three of the EBR school board members,[30][31] including by vice president Tramelle Howard,[32] and has since apologized about the incident, writing "My comments last week about the naming of Lee High School were insensitive, have caused pain for others, and have led people to believe I am an enemy of people of color, and I am deeply sorry." She had also told that what was on her laptop was a pop-up ad that failed to close and that she "was actually taking notes, paying attention, reading online comments.”[20][21][33][34][35] In response to a news conference calling her to resign, Bernard has stated that she would not resign and that she "will continue to serve all students as elected by my district three times." The members of the school board said that they would launch a campaign to remove Connie Bernard if she did not resign.[36] Richard Lipsey[37] and board president Mike Gaudet have also called for Bernard's resignation. Woody Jenkins, the chairman of the executive committee for the Republican Party in East Baton Rouge, called Gaudet to resign over his remarks.[38] After a request, the history from the school board-issued laptop used by Bernard was searched, showing that it had been used to visit a website called "thredUP."[39][40][41]

On June 18, 2020, the East Baton Rouge School Board unanimously voted to establish a renaming committee and to hear recommendations for the new name.[42][43][44]

The renaming committee narrowed three names on July 13: Louisiana Magnet High School, Liberty Magnet High School, and P.B.S. Pinchback Magnet High School.[45][46][47][48]

On July 16, the renaming committee voted to rename the school to "Liberty High School."[49][50][51] On August 3, crews removed the "Lee Magnet" signage from the school.[52][53]