One of the more amusing stories I’ve been keeping track of this week has been the “controversy” surrounding the naming of Gilbert’s 4th high school. There’s already Gilbert High (my alma matter, class of 2000), Highland High, and Mesquite High. The newest school was named by the board two weeks ago, “Campo Verde High.”
Not the best name ever, but eh – considering we live in a town of rather bland names, it could be worse. My original dislike for the name (which I promise you did not occupy even two seconds of space in my brain before I totally forgot about it), is because it sounds a little cheesy, and a little to close to “Camp Verde,” which is the name of a high school in the city of – all things – Camp Verde, Arizona.
Apparently, however, some Gilbert residents have made this fight the highlight of their week. Yes, because there is no greater issue going on with your community, your child’s education, or your child for that matter, besides what their high school is named. The Arizona Republic states that the Gilbert School Board was “inundated with thousands of angry emails and phone calls” regarding the name. Really, people? Thousands.
The two biggest complaints seemed to be rooted in a fair amount of ignorance. The complaints were:
1) It’s Spanish, and we live in America.
2) “Campo Verde” is Spanish for “green field.” Most of the white, conservative, relatively ignorant and pompous Gilbert citizens have claimed that “green field” could imply a “field of marijuana” (especially because it’s in Spanish!), and that the school board is effectively trying to name the school “Marijuana High.” Obviously these parents have never visited Gilbert’s other three high schools, otherwise they would know that no high school has to be named after a drug to encourage the use of said drug amongst its student population.
I had to laugh. Angry emails that it’s “In Spanish, and this is America!”? Well, duh. And duh. Not to mention that the name “Gilbert” is Mexican in origin, “Santan” is Spanish in origin, and “Mesa” means “table” in Spanish. Everything in our southwest practically is Spanish/Mexican in origin. Maybe it has something to do with opening your history books and realizing the extensive Mexican and Spanish origins of Arizona. Of course, these are the same people who probably voted against Obama only because he’s black (I had similar qualms … that’s why I only voted for his white half, since he’s only half black).
And as far as it implying a “marijuana field?” That’s just amusing. Because yes, we know that all Mexicans are incapable of planting grass, alfalfa, or any other kind of standard ground cover, and trying their damnedest, they can only find marijuana seeds down at Mazatlan Feed & Tack.
My vote? I would love to see the school named Ungebildet Rassisten High School. 
