In the 152 years since the Civil War ended, many monuments to honor people seen as heros were erected in both the north and the south. However, the pro-slavery views of most important figures who fought for the confederacy are considered extremely offensive and unacceptable today. This is why some people argue that monuments of southern historical figures such as Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson (Confederate Generals) and Jefferson Davis (president of the confederacy) should be removed from public areas.
The people that are in favor of the removal of Confederate monuments from public areas say that these statues send a message that slavery and human bondage are right. Because of this, these people feel that the monuments display skewed views of the Civil War and should not be displayed in public. Taking these statues down would send a message to the community (and nation) that people who supported the atrocities of slavery should not be honored.
The people that are against the removal of Confederate monuments from public areas argue that these are important historical figures who deserve to be recognized even if their actions and ideas are judged poorly by modern standards. Slavery is known as unjust and cruel today, but at the time of the Civil War, many people considered it to be fine and non problematic simply because it was what they had been taught.
As of today, some of these monuments have been taken down, some have had more detailed inscriptions of the people they portray added and others have been left as they are.
Sources:
https://upfront.scholastic.com/issues/2017-18/091817/monumental-battle.html#1170L
http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/14/opinions/deciding-what-statues-can-stay-opinion-mcwhorter/index.html