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Saturday, March 31, 2001
West Oso students leave classes to protest name
Renaming high school upsets some students who want their diplomas to say West Oso
By Jason Ma
Caller-Times
West Oso High School students walked out of classes Friday morning to protest changing the school's name to West Oso Veterans Memorial High School.
More than 100 students participated in the 9 a.m. walkout. After about 45 minutes they went back to class. Police were called, but no arrests were made.
Some students said they were upset with the name change because they don't want their diplomas to have something other than West Oso High School on it.
But Superintendent Minerva Salazar said any name change would not take effect until the start of the next school year. So this year's graduates would still see West Oso on their diplomas, she said.
The board voted Monday to change the names of West Oso High School and West Oso Junior High, and to name the new elementary school Cesar Chavez Elementary. The junior high will become Martin Luther King Junior High.
Students said the school board should have asked for community feedback before deciding on a new name.
"There's too much history behind the name," said 11th-grader Marquita Johnson, whose parents went to West Oso High School.
"We don't get recognized for a lot of things. But it's our name that gets recognized when we do.
"It's a community thing. It's traditional."
Board member Arturo Melve said students and community members had a chance to speak out at Monday's meeting. Though the meeting agenda was posted during spring break, students could have found out about the name change, he said.
Melve said the name change is a proper way to honor veterans.
"Being a veteran myself, I thought it was a good idea," he said.
Not everyone feels strongly about the school's name. Isaac Gamez, a sophomore, said changing the name won't affect the quality of education.
"They could change the name to Cloverleaves or Fighting Rainbows. A school's a school," he said. "It doesn't matter. It's just a name. It's not like it's going to change the school."
Salazar said the school administration spoke to an assembly of 12th-grade students later in the day to hear their concerns.
She said she would take their suggestions to the board, such as renaming the gym or a hall instead of the whole school.
But she noted the board has the final decision.
Salazar said adults in the community instigated the protest. And if students walk out of class again, they could face disciplinary action including suspension, she said.
"It's been clearly communicated to them, that if they choose to do it again, there are procedures in place," she said.
But senior Troy Schroeder, who walked out Friday, denied that adults were behind the protest and said it may happen again.
"We feel we didn't get through to (Salazar)," he said.
"We feel we didn't get a straight answer to any questions we asked."
Staff writer Jason Ma can be reached at _886-3778 or by e-mail at maj@caller.com
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