Brinker and Grand Terrace parents win school name dispute

The kerfuffle over what to name Grand Terrace's new high school is over, the campus will be called Grand Terrace High School at the Ray Abril Junior Education Complex.

Stephen Wall, The Sun's Grand Terrace reporter tells me that the Colton Joint Unified School District board's decision to change the high school name has defused the dissatisfaction that was aroused among some Grand Terrace residents when the campus - set to be Grand Terrace's first high school - was going to be named after Abril, a retired school board member, instead of the city.

Third Ward Councilman Tobin Brinker, also a former Colton Joint Unified board member, sided with Grand Terrace parents. He said the campus should be named after the city and that parents who wanted their objections to be heard should pressure the district by refusing to allow their children to participate in state-issued standardized tests.

Students are now being encouraged to take the tests, Wall informs me.