Bucks Hill Community Club Voices Loud Opposition to Renaming of City School

BUCKS HILL, WATERBURY, September 21st, 2013

There is still strong opposition to the renaming of the Bucks Hill School, which was reluctantly approved recently among much opposition and discontent.  The neighborhood association is now voicing back, representing the majority of area residents who are against the change.  The new proposed name, Roberto Clemente Academy, was accepted by the Board of Education in what apparently was pressure from bullies.  The source of the bullying is partially an Hispanic advocacy group seeking cultural recognition, and partially from pressures from "above", which quote the benefits of a matrimony between City leadership and Hispanic forces. 

Community members, and some members of the City at large, say that the change is unnecessary, unwarranted, and misleading.  Some fear that the change will redefine the perception of the neighborhood which has a long-standing culture of working together with all residents.  The name change, say some, offers a representation of the Bucks Hill community which is inaccurate.  There is no general unwillingness to recognize the Hispanic population, says one official, but the location should be appropriate.

A former Alderman cautioned against naming any municipal building after any person, culture, or group, "There is no way to be fair about it.  You're asking for trouble."  Another community leader said, "We are setting a precedence here, so we must ensure that we are doing it correctly".

This Hispanic presence is a strong one in the City, but other Latins, such as the French, Portuguese, Italians, and others - some of whom have proven their value to the City for a century - have never sought recognition through the naming of a public place.  "If we are to be fair in equality, recognition should be consistent with population, and clearly the Hispanic population is already highly represented throughout the City in business and cultural events", said one business man who declined identity but said his business "relies heavily on the Spanish population".  

One source quotes Waterbury's population to be 59% "white" (which, of course, includes all Latinos - and all Hispanics are, of course, like the Italians, French, Portuguese, and Spanish, are Latino).  Less than 13% of the City population claims to be purely Hispanic, however.  Yet 32% of City residents claim to be mixed with Hispanic heritage. Italians claim the largest block, representing over 19% claiming singular heritage, an over 53% say that they are mixed with Italian heritage.
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Lethargic Reaction to Renaming of School

BUCKS HILL, WATERBURY, September 14th, 2013

Even in the Who Can Tell Me Why  section of the local Waterbury page, people were wondering - asking - "Why in the world would we want to change the name of Bucks Hill Elementary School to Roberto Clemente Academy?"  

Readers queried, "First of all, what does Roberto Clemente have to do with Waterbury?"  That question still remains unanswered.  "What has he done to warrant such an honor?  Secondly, are we changing the curriculum so much that it is no longer a school and it is now an academy?" questioned another reader.  The reader continued, "Just because there is a large population of Puerto Ricans in Waterbury doesn't mean that we have to start naming government buildings after them."    

If that were the case, we would have to name every building in Waterbury after an Italian; about 28% of the population of Waterbury is descended from Italy.  Government buildings should be named by merit.  And what of our historic contributors, like the Chase family, the Fulton family, the Scoville family, or the founders of so many other important businesses?  The heritage of Waterbury is laden with economic heroes, cultural icons, and contributors in so many important ways.

If we rename the Bucks Hill neighborhood school, then we are clearly justified in renaming all Waterbury schools after any one of the following - arguably more deserving - Waterbury natives:

Augelli, Nick ( of local basketball fame, lore, and performance); Barzilauskas, Carl (football legend); Barzilauskas, Fritz (football legend); Bergin, Michael (famous actor) (2 former mayors by the same name); Bologna, Sando (famous author and historian); Bragg, Darren (famous baseball player); Bredice, John; Bristol, William Henry (famous local businessman and major motion picture producer); Caneira, John; Capobianco, Carmine; Carruth, Hayden; Cavallari, Chris; Ciarlo, Corado "Babe"; Cipriano, Joe - a.k.a. Tom Collins (famous radio personality); Conner, Joseph  a.k.a. Francis "Joe", Connor; Roger , Crane, Bob (famous actor); Peter, Crocicchia; Jim, Daughlian; Harry K., DeLeo; Mike, DePaulo; Joey, Dionne; Monica, Diorio; Joe, Diorio; Ron, Dorr, Robert "Bob"; Donahue, Francis Rostell "Red"; Duckett, Dumane; Ferraro, Ralph; Ferro, Marissa; Fields, George; Forte, Nick Apallo; Franks, Gary; Gallo, Robert (famous doctor); Gilbert, Elizabeth; Giordano, Phillip; Goss, Porter; Grechika, Jason (baseball legend); Grechika, Jeremy (baseball legend); Grechika, Jeffrey (baseball legend); Keenan, Ed; Klobedanz, Fred; Knight, Jason; Marcuse, Harold; Marano, Richard M. Martinelli , Nichola Antonio "Nicolo" (renowned businessman and  major employer); Mastracchio, Richard A. "Rick" (famous astronaut); Mayne, Thom; McDermott, Mark Anthony "Dylan"; McGivney, Michael J.; McMahon,  Jack; Monagan, John S.; Moore, Johnny; Mulligan, George; Nichole, Louis "Little Louie"; Opperman, Jim; Ortiz, Chris; Paternastro, Rob; Piersall, Jimmy; Polaco, Peter - a.k.a. Justin Credible; Porzio, Mike; Roberts, Moe; Rossi, Joseph William "Joe Dundee" (famous martial arts expert - known to be one of the best in the world - from which ALL United States Special forces have been modled); Russell, Rosalind; Salinaro, Dom; Santopietro, Joseph; Scoville, J.M.L.; Scoville, W.H.; Solo, Robert H.; Sullivan, William J.; Tata, Terry (famous baseball umpire); Valentino, Chris; Vastola, Anthony P. ; Viera, Frank "Porky"; Vincent, Fay; Wallace, Dave; Wilfe, Robert Hewitt; Woods, Pinky; Zembruski, Victor; Zilly, John Lynus "Jack"; and many others.