GT In the News...

http://www.sbsun.com/letters/ci_11988791

Waste of time
Posted: 03/24/2009 09:09:01 PM PDT

The headline on a recent (March 14) report that the name the Colton Joint Unified School District board had decided for the new high school "irked" GT residents was putting it mildly.

More appropriate would be "outraged."

If 124 people voted to name the school Grand Terrace High and only 17 voted for Ray Abril Jr., isn't that a clear majority in favor of the first name?


Instead, the school board went ahead and announced that it was going to be Ray Abril Jr. High School. It is pretty obvious that they had decided on the name beforehand. So why put on the charade and waste everybody's time?


The last time I checked, we were still living in a democracy. Who made the school board emperors? (I thought John Weeks had reserved that title for himself).
The citizens of Grand Terrace have fought long and hard for a high school. Why would they be denied pride of ownership?


And Mr. Taylor, the citizens of Grand Terrace elected you because they felt you would represent them. Well, with your vote you have proven them wrong. I hope everybody remembers that come election time - I sure will!


HANNI BENNETT Grand Terrace


Naming rights

Posted: 03/22/2009 05:48:46 PM PDT

To members of the Colton Joint Unified School District:

I have been a citizen of Grand Terrace for more than 35 years. My husband and I graduated from Colton High School, as did our six children. I am angered and saddened regarding your naming of high school No. 3.

You asked for suggestions for the name and yet disregarded the most popular name, that being Grand Terrace High School.

High school No. 1, Colton, and No. 2, Bloomington, are named after the cities they are located in, why change now?

You are choosing to honor one man while dishonoring a whole city.

Ray Abril always used the name "Ray Abril Jr." Why not use the "Jr." now, are you honoring him or his father?

Why not name it Eulis Hubbs (father of Ken Hubbs) High School? He served as president of the Colton Joint Unified School Board, was a citizen of Grand Terrace, and is deceased.

Or Dr. Owen J. Cook High School, former CJUSD superintendent, Grand Terrace resident, and recently deceased.

Mr. Abril, Mr. Hubbs, and Dr. Cook all are good men who served the school district well, yet
Grand Terrace High School is still the most logical and fitting name.

Why not change the name of Colton Memorial Stadium (home of one of the greatest football programs around), to Ray Abril Jr. Stadium?

Your approval of a high school in the city of Grand Terrace took many, many years. Why so quick to name it, with very little notice to the citizens, and allowing so little time for input at the school board meeting?

You say Bloomington needs a new high school desperately; well the citizens of Grand Terrace, along with Colton and Bloomington, have paid taxes and passed bond measures to fund all schools in the district.

I hope you will listen to the citizens you claim to represent and change the name to the more appropriate and fitting Grand Terrace High School.

KATHY BOWLER Grand Terrace


High school name upsets Grand Terrace residents
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/13/2009 03:04:03 PM PDT
Updated: 03/13/2009 08:37:52 PM PDT


Grand Terrace: High School No. 3 finally has a name.
The Colton school board voted 5-1 on Thursday to name Grand Terrace's new high school after longtime Colton resident Ray Abril, Jr.

Patt Haro voted no. Marge Mendoza-Ware was absent.

The vote upset many Grand Terrace residents who waged a grass-roots campaign to name the school after their city.

"I wish they would have gone with the will of the people," said Ed Gregor, a retired Bloomington High School teacher who lives in Grand Terrace.

The $82 million high school is expected to open in September 2011 at the corner of Main and Taylor streets.

The Colton Joint Unified School District last month asked the public to come up with nominations for the new school. Seventy-three different names were submitted.

Grand Terrace High School was the winner, receiving 124 of the 365 nominations. Ray Abril or Ray Abril, Jr. High School came in fourth place, garnering 17 votes.

A large contingent of Grand Terrace residents came to the meeting to try to influence the board's decision. Eight speakers favored naming the school after the city. Their comments were greeted by applause and cheers.

Grand Terrace Councilman Walt Stanckiewitz told the board that elected officials must follow the wishes of voters.

"If you're not going to consider the results of your request for votes, why did you ask the public to participate?" Stanckiewitz said.

As a compromise, Stanckiewitz suggested naming the school Grand Terrace High School, but dedicating it in Abril's honor.
Abril, 76, served on the Colton school board from 1973 to 2001.

Board member Robert Armenta, Jr. called Abril a positive role model who made "a significant and long-term difference" for all students in the district.

"While I can certainly understand the thinking on both sides of the `what to name the high school argument,' it is my belief that our schools are for our students," Armenta said.

Gil Navarro, a San Bernardino County school board member, spoke in support of Abril.

"We need more role models for Latinos who are the majority of this district," said Navarro, whose remarks were booed by members of the audience. "This is not about a city. This is about naming a school after someone who has contributed to the school district."

Several Grand Terrace residents vowed Friday to fight to rename the high school.

Wendy Baker, who lives in Grand Terrace and is the mother of a seventh-grader in the Colton school district, called the board's decision "a slap in the face" of Grand Terrace.

The cities of San Bernardino, Redlands, Fontana and Colton have high schools named after them, she noted.

"I am very sad," Baker said in an e-mail to board members. "You could have named the library or the gym after this person. Instead you took Grand Terrace's identity away."

stephen.wall@inlandnewspapers.com
(909) 386-3916