SAN DIEGO, Calif. – School across the country are reacting to a recent racially motivated church shooting in South Carolina by distancing themselves from the Old South.

Police believe 21-year-old Dylann Roof attended a bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston June 17 before opening fire on a dozen people, killing a total of nine black men and women, and injuring one other, The Washington Post reports.

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“Federal law enforcement officials said Roof, who is white, declared his hatred for black people before opening fire, and the U.S. Justice Department has said it is investigating the attack as a hate crime,” according to the Post.

Leading up to the attack, Roof posted pictures to social media of himself burning the American flag and holding a confederate flag – in one image also posing with a handgun, CNN reports.

In the wake of the deadliest racially motivated shooting in U.S. history, schools across the country are now attempting to do away with their connection to the confederacy, most recently in San Diego.

Tuesday, California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez called on officials in the San Diego Unified School District to change the name of Robert E. Lee Elementary in response to the attack, Fox 5 reports.

“The flag in particular, and anyone associated with this army, in general, have been associated with intolerance, racism and hate, none of which have a place in our schools,” Gonzalez wrote in a letter to SDUSD Superintendent City Marten.

“It is also important to note that the area in which the elementary school is located is truly representative of South San Diego – a vibrant, multi-ethnic community with a strong African-American presence that deserves a school named after someone we can all admire.

“Robert E. Lee is not that person.”

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District officials did not respond to Fox 5’s request for comment, but instead issued a bland statement.

“We are sensitive to the concerns voiced by some members of the community that it may not be appropriate to have a school named after Robert E. Lee. We see this as a wonderful opportunity to have a larger community dialogue with students, staff and families about the school name and look at the history and research surrounding Lee in order to make a collectively informed decision about changing the name or retaining it,” the statement read.

“Should the community determine a name change is appropriate, there is a clear process for school naming that is inclusive of a variety of stakeholders and provides clear rationale for a new name.”

The same day, board members with the Fort Smith school district in Arkansas also moved to ban references to the Old South from Southside High School. Board members banned the school song “Dixie,” and moved to change the school’s rebel mascot for next school year, 5 News reports.

Board member Susan McFerran told the news site the changes were inspired by the Charleston shooting, and suggested by the school’s alumni.

“There was a 30 year class reunion this weekend,” McFerran said Monday. “It come to our attention that the public has been pretty upset about the Confederate flag, which has already been removed, the rebel mascot (and) the playing of the ‘Dixie.’”

Reaction to the changes prompted mixed reactions from locals.

Caleb Coleman told News 5 he doesn’t think the changes are for the better.

“It will be kind of different, almost like a different school I think,” Coleman said. “All the different people that have gone through this school with athletics and different things, it will almost be like the school they didn’t play for really.”

Others, like 1981 grad Kelly Wingfield, remember when the Confederate flag flew over Southside, and is glad to see it go.

“I feel like maybe it is time to get rid of it,” Winfield told News 5. “(For) some people it does bring bad memories of a bad time in our history. I think it would be just probably better.”

McFerran said the changes will mean new uniforms for sports teams, though she didn’t divulge how much the mascot and other changes will ultimately cost taxpayers.

“We’ve got orchestra, the band, Dixie bells, the cheerleaders, football team, basketball team, softball team, soccer, tennis, golf,” she said of the uniform changes.