A School by Any Name is a School...

Grand Terrace urges school name change
By Stephen Wall Staff Writer
Posted: 03/26/2009 02:41:46 PM PDT


GRAND TERRACE - The city wants the Colton school board to reconsider its decision to name the new high school in town after a longtime Colton resident.

In a letter delivered to the school district Thursday, the City Council unanimously expresses "dismay and disappointment over the naming process and the ultimate name selection" for the school.

The council "sincerely and fervently requests" that the school be renamed Grand Terrace High School, the letter says.

The school board voted 5-1 two weeks ago to name the school after retired trustee Ray Abril, Jr., who served on the board from 1973 to 2001.

The $82 million campus, on Main Street east of Taylor Street, is due to open in fall 2011. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled April 4.

The Colton Joint Unified School District conducted a public survey requesting nominations for a name. "Grand Terrace High School" was the overwhelming winner. "Ray Abril High School" came in fourth place.

It was "unconscionable" for the board to ignore "the clear mandate" from Grand Terrace residents who were "a driving force" behind the passage of two bond measures that helped provide money for the high school, the letter states.

The city also assembled prime commercially zoned land for the high school and sold property to the district at "a very fair market value," according to the letter.

Residents also sacrificed two sports fields at a city park for the school, and city staff helped two businesses relocate elsewhere in town so the 67-acre campus could be built, the letter says.

The city also paid for off-site infrastructure improvements needed to build the school, the letter states.

The letter notes Abril made "significant contributions" to the district and perhaps should be honored with a facility named after him in Colton.

Patt Haro, the lone board member to oppose naming the school after Abril, said she would ask her colleagues to revisit the decision.

"I believe firmly that the people should be listened to," Haro said. "I believe Ray Abril should be honored. I respect him immensely. I just don't think this is the venue to do it."

Board member Kent Taylor said he stands by the name.

"I support the decision that was made based on all the input I received from Grand Terrace residents and Colton residents," Taylor said.

Taylor said the naming controversy distracts from the "wonderful accomplishment" of Grand Terrace finally getting its own top-notch high school.

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


Some added thought:

When Ken Taylor says.... Distracts from the "wonderful accomplishment of Grand Terrace finally getting its own top-notch high school... there a double communication in his words.

Grand Terrace or the City of Grand Terrace is not getting its "OWN" high school, Top-Notch or Bottom Notch. The High School is to serve students of the CJUSD including some from Grand Terrace and Colton and who knows where else the buses will come from... the High School is a District School not a City School.

The CJUSD could have used Eminent Domain on any part of Grand Terrace including the area mid town where Doug Jacobsen and Jack Brown want to build their Mega Development... There is no need for the City of Grand Terrace to take or offer the lead on providing the Land or the claim they did so at great sacrifice that exceeds the normal rights that the CJUSD could have evoked if it so desired.

It is to the City's Advantage that the relocated businesses stay in Grand Terrace. It is to the City's perceived advantage not to have to operate 2 parks and to put Students as far possible to the end of town. in not only a commercially zoned area but an Industrial Zoned area across the street from a power transmission facility, and rail road tracks. The City does not have a Parks and Rec Department or Youth Program... and they got rid of the crew to keep the park up.

It was to the City's Advantage that they sold land that would have cost the RDA for the poorly planned Outdoor Adventure Center, access roads and other ill thought out plans of the City...

So here we are, the city taking credit for doing all this for "Their High School" and the CJUSD giving the school a name the will attempt to disassociate the school's identity from the City of Grand Terrace. No one should be surprised...

Not one word in the City's Letter to the CJUSD Board welcomes the Students of the District to the City... The letter perpetuates the clear indication that the City Management will continue to claim recognition for, and authority over the High School and doing so if it is named GTHS... all the easier. This is why the name is not Grand Terrace High School....

The CJUSD Board should find a middle ground... perhaps Blue Mt. High School. Or , Almost in Riverside County High School, or Gage Canal High School, or Rail Road Derailment High School, and the mascot could be an Electric Bolt, or a Toxic Cloud, or perhaps an inner tube...

Good luck CJUSD and Residents of Grand Terrace and the District.... this is an example of another terrific pile provided to you from the actions and words of the Grand Terrace City Council... That is who should have their house cleaned... along with the back room deals, and negotiations on land that were so fair.... they could not be done in public... when it was 2 public agencies in negotiations.

Nope... there are no winners here, and If I were Ray Abril, I'd have my name removed from the school because it will be a bone of contention for decades and not a unifying or pleasant remembrance of many years of service to all of the students of CJUSD including those from Grand Terrace.