Viewers Respond To School’s Renaming

EL PASO — Friday, January 11 is the deadline the El Paso Independent School District has set to have suggestions sent on a new name for Cordova Middle School.

All references to its original namesake — former board trustee Carlos Cordova — have been stripped from the building.

Cordova recently admitted he had a role in the public corruption scandal, and asked to have his name removed from the school.

Some of the names in consideration for the school’s new identity include Jorge Avendano, who died recently, and was a band director in the EPISD.

Also, the late Steve Crosno, who for years was a fixture of local radio, and former UTEP head basketball coach Don Haskins.

Other names circulated: Astronaut Danny Olivas, who grew up in El Paso and graduated from Burges High School and UTEP. Sheriff Leo Samaniego, who lost his battle with cancer at the end of last year, and baseball coach “Nemo” Herrera.

Submissions are due at EPISD headquarters by close of business Friday.

– – – – –

Elena from Northeast El Paso writes:

I am disturbed that people actually want to “honor” someone like Leo Samaniego or Danny Olivas by renaming a school after them. While I agree that Cordova School should be renamed, in no way do I feel it is an honor to name it after some of the suggested heroes or community leaders.

I feel the school should be given a name UNRELATED to anyone. It is not an honor to have a school named after you by “default” because the original namesake was shamed.

While I do feel strongly that Sheriff Samaniegodoes deserve a school to be named after him, it should be one that is brand new, built with intentiones to be named after him from the beginning, not one that hasto be renamed.

– – – –

From Anabel Perez, East El Paso

I would like to nominate Mt. Gary Warner from Channel 7 news in regards to the Cordova Middle School name change.

I think he has provided our community with great news for many years. We need to honor him, especially since he will be retiring soon.

Let’s try somebody new and honorable, with all my respect to the other nominees.