More on a Name...

Posted: 03/31/2009 06:49:48 PM PDT


Overwhelmingly, the residents of Grand Terrace, Colton and even The Sun newspaper have made their opinions very clear.

The Colton Joint Unified School District board members, in their arrogance, have ignored the voices of the very people who put them in office by voting to name the new high school after Ray Abril Jr. instead of the obvious choice, Grand Terrace High School.

When the funding for the school is needed, who gets bill? The taxpayers. But when it comes to naming the school, residents' opinions are cast aside and the school board does whatever it pleases.

All I can say to every voter is they should remember the names of those board members and clean house when the next election comes around. The board members are obviously self-serving and have totally forgotten who allowed them the positions they now hold.

GARY B. LEIBELT Colton

Fought for school

Recently, the city of Grand Terrace had a chance to name two new buildings. The first was to name our new senior center. Some suggested that it be named after the lady who has run the existing facility, without compensation, for 20 years.

She denied the honor with grace and class because she felt the center belonged to the city of Grand Terrace and, thus, it was named the Grand Terrace Senior Center.

Then, there was a vote to name the recently approved high school in Grand Terrace.

The Colton Joint Unified School District Board voted to name the Grand Terrace high school after a retired board member.

The city of Grand Terrace has fought for a high school for years and would have loved to have the school named Grand Terrace High School. This would let others know that we have our own high school and it would have given us the privilege to have it named after our city like the first high schools in Colton, Bloomington, San Bernardino, Redlands, Yucaipa, et al.

Understandably, the board would like to honor a retired board member, but couldn't the board name the gymnasium, administration building or a football field after this person?

BETTY TRIMBLE Grand Terrace


Once Upon a Time there was a practice that buildings were named by either people who paid to have them built such as a hospital wing, or library... OR as a remeberance after that person has passed on. Neither of these conditions have been met in regards to HS#3... name selection.

However, the City of Grand Terrace has not shown such a tradition in its own attempt to name the Senior Center. The City Could have an Ordinance that no building in the city can be named after a living individual... That would have precluded Mr. Abril's Name to be used... but then the Board may have selected a name like... Bella Abzug High School. Everyone grab a hat...