Board declines to begin naming process for Azusa High baseball field after members cite precedent and lack of broad community support

The Azusa Unified School District Board of Education on Nov. 4 voted not to move forward with a process to name the Azusa High School baseball field, after several members raised concerns about precedent, costs and the level of community interest.

Superintendent Arturo Ortega clarified the board was being asked only to decide whether to begin the naming process; any specific name would be developed later by a citizen advisory committee and require a public hearing. Board members asked whether the district had received multiple community requests or formal petitions supporting a name change. Board member Rodriguez Pena said he was not aware of a broader community petition and worried the item might "open a can of worms" if the board began naming one facility and others followed.

Board member Greer noted that the board had handled facility name changes in the past and that a naming process could proceed with research and a committee, but multiple members argued the matter needed wider community interest before moving forward. When the board voted on a motion to proceed with naming, the result was four no votes and one yes, so the item did not advance.

Board members described the procedural next steps that would have followed had the motion passed: formation of a citizen advisory committee, committee recommendation to the board and, if the board approved a proposed name, a public hearing would be held to receive community testimony. No further action was taken at the meeting.