Posted on 01/12/2013 6:17:17 AM PST by Uncle Chip
Tiburcio Vasquez was one of California's most notorious 19th century bandits, but that did not stop education officials in one county from voting unanimously to name a new school in his honor.
Come next August, children in Salinas will be heading to Tiburcio Vasquez Elementary School, unless the Alisal Union School District reconsiders its controversial naming choice.
The decision to celebrate the Gold Rush-era outlaw who was hanged for multiple murders and a long string of other crimes in 1875 sparked a public outcry when it was announced last month.
Law enforcement officials and even Salinas Mayor Joe Gunter insisted that the new school being built on the corner of Tuscany and Freedom Parkway in the city plagued by gang violence should bear the name of someone who was a positive role model, rather than a man best known for terrorizing Southern California over a century ago.
'We had a young man killed in Afghanistan who was from the Alisal area. He would have been a nice person to name the school after,' Gunter told ABC15.
According to a biography put together by the University of Southern California, Vasquez was one of the most infamous criminals in the state's history.
Born in Monterey in 1835, Vasquez turned to a life of crime as a teenager after stabbing a constable at age 14.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
I am sure there will be schools named after like John Hinckley or Che Guereva or even Hugo Chavez.
No surprise there, it’s Kaliforniaistan, what did you expect?
Evil is good and good is evil. This comes as no shock to me about California. Which has a reputation for setting out to be the opposite of wise
Even today, Tiburcio Vásquez remains controversial. He is seen as a hero by some Mexican-Americans for his defiance of what he viewed as unjust laws and discrimination. Others regard him simply as a colorful outlaw. A more balanced view is that he was indeed a robber, but became a folk hero in his own lifetime to Mexicans and Californianos, who were oppressed and would grasp at anything to give them hope, even a bandit.
Apparently, to mexicans he was the 1870’s version of Zorro.
CC
I did a shoulder roll when I visited there in homage to the Shat.
And now they elect bandidos like Vasquez to public office.
The Vasquez Rocks were on ‘Big Bang Theory’ the other night.
CC
<>They probably thought it was alright since they’ve already named a state park after him ( Vasquez rocks).<>
And a High School — Vasquez High School:
https://sites.google.com/site/vasquezhighpride/
When students get in trouble or play hooky the truant officers know where to find them.
I always look at Vasquez Rocks every time I drive by — in honor of ST, Blazing Saddles, Bill & Ted — so many films!
Jose Castañeda is the Alisal School Board member who came up with this idea.
Some of his comments regarding the subject:
“This is not the first time people like you have attempted to lynch the Alisal School District,”
Little biography of Jose Castaneda
Supporters have stuck by Castañeda despite some dark times. He allegedly challenged an elected official to a fist fight on two occasions outside of school board and water meetings. He faced criminal charges last year in a botched attempt to launch a recall against County Supervisor Fernando Armenta, and he faced charges of domestic violence in 2003 related to a fight with his son’s mother. He represented himself in court and was acquitted on one charge of inflicting bodily injury, and convicted for one of battery. He was ordered to perform 40 hours of community service and was on probation for three years.
Yep name a school after a criminal. No big deal.
In the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, I claim this school for the glory of the The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Worthy is the lamb, who was slain. God bless America.
Vasquez High School [link @ post #12] in that district is already named after him.
And now they want to name a new elementary school after him as well.
Don’t they know any other bandidos there in that school district???
I didn’t have to read past the title to know it would be an Hispanic name.
If you want a high school named after a real badass, name it Attila High.
If that is a little too radical, match St Augustine, FL's Pedro Menendez High. Ole Pedro was indeed a badass, but he did eliminate a lot of bothersome frogs from FL.
The decision to celebrate the Gold Rush-era outlaw who was hanged for multiple murders and a long string of other crimes in 1875 sparked a public outcry when it was announced last month. Law enforcement officials and even Salinas Mayor Joe Gunter insisted that the new school being built on the corner of Tuscany and Freedom Parkway in the city plagued by gang violence should bear the name of someone who was a positive role model, rather than a man best known for terrorizing Southern California over a century ago. 'We had a young man killed in Afghanistan who was from the Alisal area. He would have been a nice person to name the school after,' Gunter told ABC15.
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