{Letter in the Press Enterprise 3/19/2009}

Rethink school's name
Naming a school could be a simple task, but the Colton Joint Unified School District is making it a difficult problem ("Board OKs name for new high school," March 13).
Public input was requested, and respondents overwhelmingly said they wanted the name Grand Terrace High School. Only 17 votes out of 365 wanted the school named after Ray Abril.
The people of Grand Terrace merely want the school to carry the name of the community in which it is located. But the Board of Education decided to ignore the vote of the people and name the proposed school after Abril, who served on the school board.
As often happens in this day and age, the issue of race was raised. Gil Navarro, a county school board member, said naming the school after Abril would send a positive message to Latino students.
I have lived in Grand Terrace for more than 30 years and have witnessed a predominately white community welcoming increasing numbers of people of varying cultures. All live a peaceful co-existence.
So let's not single out one ethnicity. Let's not play up race.
The bottom line is that everyone needs to give a little. Name the school according to choice No. 1, Grand Terrace High School, but recognize the other nominees in some way, by naming the mascot or educational areas or buildings after them, for example.
If the members of the board had no intention of listening to residents' input, they shouldn't have asked for it. The board members should consider that if they don't listen to the residents now, they may have no choice but to listen to them at election time.

ED GREGOR
Grand Terrace