Letter: Fearful that school board will ignore tradition, rename middle school
To the editor,
– The members of the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District seem to be set on dishonoring the educational traditions of Paso Robles. In recent board agendas they have stated that they would review a name change for George H. Flamson due to changes in the district schools.
Tradition /trəˈdiSHən/: noun the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation.
Prior to 1996, the district had been a one middle school district. The first middle school was Glen Speck on Vine Street. When the high school moved to its current location on Niblick Road in 1981, a new middle school, George H. Flamson was created. It remained the only middle school until 1996 when Daniel E. Lewis Middle School was created on the old Winifred Pifer Elementary site. All named after well deserving Paso Robles Educators.
Why am I giving a history of Paso Robles Public Schools? Because I am fearful that the board will ignore tradition and rename George H. Flamson Middle School. If the rumors are true, the Board is entertaining the idea that students from Daniel E. Lewis cannot adjust to moving from one school to another. I have heard a number of ideas for the renaming from naming it after another educator to a generic name.
Paso Robles has a rich history and our schools help new generations understand this by honoring educators by naming schools and building after them. Thousands of students have moved through George H. Flamson Middle School. The Board would be dishonoring their past as well as George H. Flamson’s hard work in our community. Why would the board permanently dishonor anyone to temporarily manage the feelings of a few.
I’m writing this letter as a Bearcat and asking the Board to honor our Paso Robles Public Schools traditions and our shared past. Please continue to honor Goerge Flamson and call the 24th Street site, George H. Flamson. To correct the new grades there, maybe George H. Flamson Junior High School or George H. Flamson Intermediate School.
At the same time continue to honor Daniel E. Lewis and Georgia Brown. Name the new Dual Immersion School the Georgia Brown Dual Immersion Program at Daniel E. Lewis School. This way we still honor the educators that came before us and honor the new schools.
The last superintendent wanted to change Paso Robles. He wanted to throw away our traditions. Do not continue his work. Keep our traditions alive. Honor of educators, do not dishonor them.
Thank you,
Dr. Gene Miller, Paso Robles
Bearcat Class of 1984
Paso Robles High School Teacher 1993-2004
Paso Robles Administrator 1994-2019
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