BEAUMONT — The Beaumont Independent School District Board of Managers has voted to change the name of the district's stadium.
The board voted during Thursday's regularly scheduled meeting to change the name from the Beaumont ISD Carol A. "Butch" Thomas Educational Support Center to the Beaumont Independent School District Memorial Stadium.
The board voted for the name change of what is described as the "district's most visible facility" in an "effort to bridge divisions within the Beaumont community" according to the board exhibit cover sheet for the agenda item.
The board faced opposition to the name change from the Beaumont NAACP.
Brenda Spivery, interim president of the Beaumont chapter of the NAACP, has called on the district to leave Thomas' name on the stadium. She told 12News she believes the current board has a personal vendetta against the former superintendent.
"It's really more of a personal issue," said Spivery. "I don't think the board that we elected is being fair."
Beaumont City Councilman Mike Getz approached the board in May, in support of the name change.
"Those in support of Thomas need to read the audit and just see how bad his performance was as a superintendent," Getz told 12News.
