This school board tried to stack the deck by appointing an "independent" school naming committee that read like a who's who of Republican Party officials, including former Congressman Duncan Hunter and California GOP Party Chair Ron Nehring. But the board's clear intent to push for naming the new high school after Reagan ran into a fatal flaw when a local tribal leader went on a verbal warpath, revealing Reagan's dismal record on Native American issues. Exposure in a local news publication with an editor who's taken on GOP leaders before added fuel to the fire--and now my sources indicate that the GOP is looking for a face-saving way to back down. Since the GOP is on a systematic bender to name schools across America after Reagan, you may wish to see how "Gippergate" has been exposed in one local school district--and appears to be going down with flaming arrows.
http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/3351 May 19, 2010 (Alpine) – Short of smoke signals, Viejas Vice Chairman Robert “Cita” Welch couldn’t have delivered a stronger message to members of a committee appointed by the Grossmont Union High School Board to recommend names for a planned new high school in Alpine. Despite a “long and proud tradition” of working with the District, Viejas has "increasing concerns" over a proposal to name the school after Ronald Reagan, Welch said.
"Your actions WILL have an impact on our future relationship with the district," he told committee members, then added that former President Reagan “is NOT well-regarded in Indian Country. At best he didn’t really care too much about Native Americans. At worst—and in some well-documented cases—he showed outright contempt for Native Americans. This should matter to each of you."
Welch asked the committee to keep the Native American perspective in mind and to “SHOW US that this is not a rigged outcome, as so many believe” by being transparent in the naming process, creating opportunities for public input, and developing objective criteria known to the public, as well as ranking names recommended to the GUHSD board which will ultimately vote on a name.
Viejas has been a major financial supporter of district schools. The tribe is also the largest employer in Alpine--and many Viejas children would attend the new high school.