Should a school be named after an habitual criminal and multiple murderer? 

If he's Hispanic and it's California, the answer is Yes.  It tends to show how deficient of real heroes Hispanics are,  And not a great way to promote social integration

According to a Fox News report on Tuesday, the Alisal Union School District in Salinas, California approved its naming of a new school after Tiburcio Vasquez who has been historically reported to having been hanged for killing at least two people in the 1800s – possibly more. While the news of the naming of the school by a murderer is found to be a horrendous move by many, it is being defended others, including the Alisal Union School District School Board and the Superintendent of the District, John Ramirez.

According to Superintendent John Ramirez:  "Tiburcio Vasquez, along with others, was an individual who was a revolutionary. He was not okay with the oppression."

Yet, historians reveal a very violent past for Vasquez by claiming that he was a very young criminal, beginning his crime wave at the age of 14. Historical records also indicate that he may have well been the murderer of as many as six people before being hanged for having killed two. One of the persons he murdered was historically reported to be a law enforcement officer.

Persons on the committee responsible for naming the new elementary school say that Vasquez was misunderstood, claiming that Vasquez was a good man and is a very good role model for the young people of their community in East Salinas.

One member of the committee, Francisco Estrada said:  "Mr. Vasquez… was not a murderer. He was framed by the system at that time. The history was written by mainstream whites. It wasn’t written by Californians or people of Mexican descent."

History books state that Tiburcio Vasquez was born April 10, 1835 in Monterey, California and died on March 19, 1875. He was an active California "bandido" from 1854 to 1874 after having fell under the influence of Anastacio Garcia who was one of California's most dangerous bandits.

In one historical report, it claims that Vasquez was present when Garcia murdered Monterey Constable William Hardmount, and he became an outlaw due to his fear of being accused of the murder.

Of Vasquez' crimes that he admitted, he said his crimes were the result of discrimination and claimed his crimes were his defending of Mexican-American rights. Yet, his crimes involved burglaries and organizing four deadly prison breaks which left 20 convicted criminals dead. History claims that Tiburcio Vasquez attempted to put his criminal past behind him at one point in his life, but he was not successful in doing so and returned to crime.

While history claims Vasquez was a crime-ridden murderer, some are obviously maintaining that he was a hero. And now, he will have a school named after him in Salinas, California - a community that has a 75% Mexican population.

The debate continues this week as the school board in Salinas unanimously approved the name of the new school.

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British parents defend five-year-old 'angel' who kicked teacher in face

Defending his behaviour is probably the worst thing they could do

Parents defend five-year-old "angel" who has been permanently expelled for kicking his teacher in the face, claiming the school has "thrown him on the scrap heap"

Logan Steed was expelled from school after stealing fruit, throwing school equipment and hitting, biting and punching pupils and staff.   On one occasion he forced the evacuation of an entire classroom at Powers Hall Infant School in Witham, Essex, for the safety of other children.

But the final straw came when Logan was sitting on a chair and kicked his teacher in the face as she bent over.

His parents, who are separated, say he is an "angel" at home and claim the school has "thrown him on the scrap heap" rather than give him the special attention he needs.

His Father, Cameron, 27, said: "They said they had to exclude him to ensure the safety of the staff and other pupils.  "But I don't understand how a five-year-old can pose so much of a threat.  "The school deserves some credit because they have worked with us, but they should not have given up on Logan. Not so soon. He is only five.

"They must have been able to help us find an alternative. Once you expel such a young child it is with them for their whole life.   "It feels like the school has not stuck to their end of the deal.   "At home Logan is a happy, polite kid. He helps me with the cleaning. He is a happy little lad.

"Logan used to come home and tell us about what he had enjoyed at school that day - now he has been thrown on the scrap heap."

Logan's unruly behaviour became apparent on his first day at primary school in September 2011 when he was aged just four.   During his first year he was suspended four times after being accused of violence and throwing fruit around the classroom.

The boy, who splits his week between his parents' homes, was placed on a report system with daily monitoring emails exchanged between the head and home.

Logan's parents took him to psychologists on the advice of teachers.  He was tested for a number of conditions including Asperger's Syndrome, but the results were all negative.

He was also sent to doctors when teachers feared his preoccupation with fruit was related to hunger.   But medics found no problem with his health or diet.

A headteacher's report dated November 20 states: "Logan's recent behaviour has involved him kicking, biting, pinching and punching adults and children and throwing school equipment or threatening to throw school equipment at staff and children.  "School records show that on the first day in our school (06/09/11) he hit, kicked and pushed other children and threw things around the room."

The letter also explains that Logan had a good relationship with his reception teacher, but she could no longer be in charge of him when she fell pregnant for her own safety.

The school took several steps to avoid expulsion, including one-to-one support from the head teacher, sticker charts, allowing him to do his activities in any order.   But Logan was permanently expelled after kicking a female teacher - who has still not been identified to the parents.

Logan's mother, Laura, 22, said: "Before Logan started school we did no know he had this side to him. It is like we are talking about two completely different boys.  "At home he does exactly what he is told and we have never seen him do any of the things that school say he did.  "He is a really clever boy and now that is being wasted. We would do anything for him."

Logan is now receiving just one hour of tuition a day at a specialist school.  But his parents believe he should be at a mainstream school, learning to socialise properly with other children his age.

They have the right to appeal the decision to expel Logan but plan not to because they are worried about the reception he would now receive at the school.

Headteacher Claire Edwards yesterday said her staff and pupils "deserve to work and learn in a safe place."  She said: "The decision to permanently exclude a child is never taken lightly and one I take with great sadness.

"This school takes a firm stance on the safety of pupils and staff and assaults on either cannot and will not be tolerated.
"The school has been supportive of this child's needs and we have tried to work with the parents of this pupil to accommodate his behaviour.   "However, I have a duty of care to all the pupils and my staff, and they deserve to work and learn in a safe place."

A spokeswoman for Essex County Council said: "Essex County Council cannot discuss individual cases, but there is a specific team who work with schools and parents to resolve concerns and seek the best possible support and provision for every child and young person."

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What DOES it take to get jailed? Father who abused and punched a headmistress only has to pay £100

A thug who launched a violent assault on a headmistress when she told off his son for racial abuse walked free from court yesterday.  Paul Stratford punched and swore at Zita McCormick after she told him his eight-year-old son Brendan would be excluded for a day.

Flanked by colleagues, the teacher told the 31-year-old to calm down. Instead he made for her, punching her and pushing her backward.

Despite the gravity of the offence, magistrates decided to impose only a community sentence, telling Stratford to pay his victim £100. In another astonishing case yesterday, a Romanian thief who ran a £3million cashpoint scam with 9,000 victims also escaped jail.  Leonid Rotaru was given an 18-month suspended jail sentence.

Last night, an education expert said law and order seemed to have ‘gone out of the window’. Another said Stratford, who already had a conviction for violence, should have been jailed to deter others from attacking teachers.

The incident took place in June after Brendan was accused of a racial outburst against a Somali boy at Seven Fields Primary in Swindon.

He also swore at pupils and staff, in what Mrs McCormick said was his third act of bad behaviour that week at the 222-pupil school.

After calling the boy’s mother to ask for him to be picked up at 9.30am, his father arrived and launched his attack in the foyer.

A court heard he demanded of Mrs McCormick: ‘Why have you called my son a f****** thug?’

After being asked to calm down, he repeated: ‘You called my son a f****** thug’ and ordered the teacher not to wave her finger at his boy. He then launched the attack that was ended only by the intervention of the caretaker.

Mrs McCormick said before the sentencing: ‘It was very frightening but you work on adrenalin.  ‘I could not let this man get into the school.’

She revealed she has even asked parents to take anger management classes: ‘They can’t control the anger they have. The school is where they vent anger at public servants who are there to protect and educate their children.’

Stratford, who was found guilty of common assault, was given a nine-month community order by Swindon magistrates. Chairman of the bench David Sinclair told him to pay £400 in costs and £100 in compensation to his victim.

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said Stratford’s behaviour was totally unacceptable.

‘Sometimes heads need to make tough decisions and they need to have society’s full support to make such decisions for the sake of all their pupils,’ he added. ‘These types of attacks against public servants doing their jobs should be punished very severely.’

Chris McGovern, a former headmaster who chairs the Campaign for Real Education, said: ‘This assault happened in a school and that should make the offence more serious. If schools aren’t safe then there is no hope.

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