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The Charlottesville School Board expressed a willingness to ban Confederate symbols from its dress code at a Thursday meeting.

The Hate-Free Schools Coalition has been asking for a ban in Albemarle County since the fall, saying Confederate images make students of color fear for their safety and do not create an equal learning environment.

After meeting with members of the coalition Wednesday, Juandiego Wade, chairman of the Charlottesville School Board, said the division was committed to working on a solution that works for students and the community.

“We all want the same thing, but we want to do this in a deliberate way so that we all can get there in a meaningful way,” he said.

The School Board will be meeting next month with Del. David J. Toscano, D-Charlottesville, and state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, to discuss policy changes. The Hate-Free Schools Coalition will be invited to this meeting, Wade said.

Superintendent Rosa Atkins said she also will be meeting with other superintendents in the state to try to get support for a ban.