New high school in Four points area : Your preference for the 'name' (Center: high schools, to live)

[S6Sputnik]

I guess the Vandergrift Marines would be in order...Semper Fi

[Breezerboat]

Yes, the name is not that great. I even venture to say it is REALLY bad. Think about this... if you were to marry a guy named Vandergrift, you would be thinking something like "crap I'm gonna change my name of _______ to Vandergrift, that sucks". And if you were a Vandergrift, you'd be getting a better name 9 out of 10 times. I'm just saying.

[S6Sputnik]

Might not be the best of names, but I am sure that there is one very appreciative family out there and we should stand behind the name for them. After all he gave his life for us!

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by S6Sputnik

Might not be the best of names, but I am sure that there is one very appreciative family out there and we should stand behind the name for them. After all he gave his life for us!

I think the controversy is that there are other wounded or killed service people from the area. It doesn't seem right to honor one but not others?

[S6Sputnik]

I know, but there will be more schools in LISD!

[LoveATX]

I think that Vandergrift would be awesome. The man died for our country and he is from our community. How dare we reconsider because it doesn't roll off the tongue in the manner you dont wish. Its the name chosen by the Board and why it was picked over another is irrelevant. Honestly I find the entire discussion tasteless and apprehensible.

[gigi927]

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

I think the controversy is that there are other wounded or killed service people from the area. It doesn't seem right to honor one but not others?

That is definitely one reason that people are concerned. Apparently there was at least one other solider from LISD who is not being honored in the same way. Some folks' view is that to single out this one solider when so many have given lives for our country, not just in Iraq but in prior wars, shortchanges those other unnamed soliders.

The second reason was that people feel the name is not reflective of the identity of the community, its geography and history.

The original proposal was to have a football stadium or other structure within LISD named after Lt. Vandegrift which I thought was a fine idea. I am not really opposed to honoring a fallen soldier, but I do think that in naming a new school it should reflect the community and be a name that is not wraught with the emotions of the current political situation. We are naming a school that will stand through more war, more generations, more issues. I keep thinking about students 30 years from now who attend this HS and whether the meaning will be lost on them; whether they will question why the HS was not named for a soldier killed in Vietnam, Korea, Kuwait....

I do not think the discussion itself is reprehensible and sorry if the topic offended anyone, but I do applaud our community for being involved enough to really care about what happens here, regardless of whether i agree or disagree with anyone's individual views.

[three_fish]

Have to say I agree w/ Gigi 100%, and I don't find an open & honest discussion of the issue to be in any way demeaning or insensitive.

Honestly, I could see an argument that acutally naming the H.S. after just one particular soldier from the area who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country IS demeaning or insensitive to all those other soldiers from the area who, thru the years, have done the same thing.

That being said, I think the Four Points High School name is the best name for the HS, but think that "Vandegrift Stadium" would be a great idea for the football stadium and a respectful tribute to this soldier.

My 2-cents

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by gigi927

That is definitely one reason that people are concerned. Apparently there was at least one other solider from LISD who is not being honored in the same way. Some folks' view is that to single out this one solider when so many have given lives for our country, not just in Iraq but in prior wars, shortchanges those other unnamed soliders.

The second reason was that people feel the name is not reflective of the identity of the community, its geography and history.

The original proposal was to have a football stadium or other structure within LISD named after Lt. Vandegrift which I thought was a fine idea. I am not really opposed to honoring a fallen soldier, but I do think that in naming a new school it should reflect the community and be a name that is not wraught with the emotions of the current political situation. We are naming a school that will stand through more war, more generations, more issues. I keep thinking about students 30 years from now who attend this HS and whether the meaning will be lost on them; whether they will question why the HS was not named for a soldier killed in Vietnam, Korea, Kuwait....

I do not think the discussion itself is reprehensible and sorry if the topic offended anyone, but I do applaud our community for being involved enough to really care about what happens here, regardless of whether i agree or disagree with anyone's individual views.

I think to base the discussion on how 'pronouncable' the man's name is- well, that's wrong. But I do worry that there are other soldiers who would not be honored. I think naming the football/baseball/etc. field or art facilities or whatever was special to him is appropriate.

[steinerranchgirl]

I would be proud to have our high school named after Lt. Matthew Vandegrift. He was an honorable, respected, dedicated, individual that lived in our end of the district and served our country proudly. He was an outstanding student and athlete. I would like my children to know who he was and hope that other generations of children know as well.

I believe that we name schools and other significant buildings after honorable people. If the criteria was how the name rolls off the tongue, then I suppose we wouldn't have Laura Welch Bush Elementary, or Vanderbilt College. If you didn't know the significance of naming HS#4 Rouse High School, then I suppose you'd be unhappy with that choice as well.

If someone is concerned that it's not fair for one fallen soldier to have a school named after them, but not the other (Spc. Morris), I believe there will be several new schools opening up in LISD over the next 10 years. If the community wants schools to be named after other local fallen soldiers, there will be plenty of opportunities.