RICHMOND, Va. — A group of Democratic lawmakers are pushing back against George Mason University’s plan to rename its law school after the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Ten legislators from Northern Virginia call the link between a $20 million anonymous donation to the school and the name change “disturbing,” and say the decision to honor the jurist, whose decisions have at times provoked controversy, should have been made in public.

“I don’t think a public school should be able to be bought this way,” said Sen. Scott A. Surovell, D-Fairfax.

The university last week announced the intention of the Board of Visitors to change the name of the George Mason School of Law to the Antonin Scalia School of Law in accordance with the wishes of an anonymous donor.

The donor’s gift of $20 million, the largest in the university’s history, and $10 million from the Charles Koch Foundation will be used to fund new scholarship programs.

David Rehr, senior associate dean at the law school, said reaction to the name change has been mixed, but the university is undeterred.

“We continue to believe the significant scholarship gift to the university will benefit hundreds of students and honor an esteemed member of the Supreme Court,” he said.

Before the name can become official, the university needs the approval of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, a 13-member panel of business and education leaders appointed by the governor. Council spokesman Gregory Weatherford declined to comment and said that the university has not submitted a name-change application.

Lawmakers on Tuesday evening sent the council a letter urging members to reject the change and ask the university to consider naming a building for Scalia instead.

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