AUSTIN — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion Wednesday stating the decision to remove or relocate monuments or memorials, such as a Children of the Confederacy plaque, is at the discretion of the Legislature, State Preservation Board or the Texas Historical Commission.
Because of that opinion, State Representative Eric Johnson (D-Dallas) sent an updated request to Texas State Preservation Board Executive Director Rod Welsh Wednesday requesting a confederate plaque be removed because of its factual errors.
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In August 2017, Johnson sent a letter requesting the Texas State Preservation Board to strip the "Children of the Confederacy Creed" from the capitol's wall. He said the plaque, which was put in place in 1959, has no rightful place in the hallways of the most powerful house in the state.
The Children of the Confederacy said they are honoring the soldiers who fought and "pledge to preserve the pure ideals ... to teach and study the truths of history," saying the war between the states was not a rebellion or "cause to sustain slavery."
However, Johnson believes this isn't true.
In September 2017, Texas House Speaker Joe Straus joined the debate, calling for the State Preservation Board to remove the plaque as well.
“The plaque says that the Civil War was not an act of rebellion and was not primarily about slavery. This is not accurate, and Texans are not well-served by incorrect information about our history,” Straus said.
Johnson later submitted an official request to have the plaque removed in October.