" When I left my previous comment I think it might have been misunderstood. I am not saying that the school should be named after my brother. I would be lying if I said that the thought had never entered my mind, and that it would be amazing, but thats so far from the point I was trying to make. And Im sorry it started everyone comparing the two because that was the last thing I wanted. I think its insulting to both their memories to judge who was the better man. Because they are both heros. They are incredibly different, but they are also incredibly the same.

I feel that naming the highschool after Vandegrift, while being an incredible and touching decision, sends the wrong message. It implies that my brother was not good enough for such an honor. But also it implies that to be worthy of honor one has to be killed in the line of duty. What do you say to the countless americans, the countless TEXANS, who are right now fighting to make us all safe. Just because they may be lucky enough to return home does not make them any less deserving of this kind of recognition. Both Vandegrift and my brother did things in their lives that are worthy of honor. But so has anyone who has fought or is fighting for this country. Naming the school "Memorial High" shows them ALL the kind of respect and honor they rightfully deserve.

Also for the record...
My brother didnt graduate from highschool. I have always personally believed that CPHS let him down in many ways that contributed to this, but that is besides the point. He got his GED before his graduating class walked across the stage. He was one of the most intelligent people I know, but he was human. And all humans are capable of making bad decisions. He had his fair share of "idiot moments", but he was and will always be my hero. He was taking online college courses when he could while serving, and had made plans to go to school and become a highschool history teacher when he got out. Yes, he made many mistakes, but in the end he became the kind of man that anybody would be proud to call a friend, that any sister would be proud to call a brother, and that any parent would be proud to call a son. By saying he wasnt good enough to be remembered this way (which is what the school name suggests) is insulting to his memory and flat out wrong. I say this because I feel that an incorrect version of the kind of person he was is spreading and I would like to set the record straight.

But as I said before, I am in no way saying that my brother was a better man then Vandegrift was. All I am saying is that we have a chance to honor all the brave men and women who have, are, and will serve this country, and we shouldnt let it pass us by.

I wish I had been able to know Matthew Vandegrift he sounds like an amazing man.

Lastly, I would like to say thank you to anybody who has said nice things about my brother. He was deserving of every word.

-Katie Morris
PROUD sister of Spc. Matthew Troy Morris
KIA Balad, Iraq 4-6-08 "

" Josh: Vandegrift lived in the area for only five years, graduated from high school in 1999, and his parents moved to Colorado in 2001. Matt Morris lived in Cedar Park, his parents still live in Cedar Park, and he's buried in Cedar Park. Both young men died for our country. A point that people seem to be forgetting. We are talking about people who are dead, not some boy's pictures in yearbook photos.

Knowing this, in what way did Vandegrift have "more impact on the area"?

He didn't have anymore impact on the area than Morris did, except that he was more popular. That's it.

Naming this high school shouldn't be a beauty pageant based on which soldier we happen to like better. Does anyone really think we'd be having this discussion if Vandegrift didn't die in battle? Since that's why he's being honored, it should be based on service to our country. In that, Morris and Vandegrift are equals and should be honored equally. "

" Maybe the name should be Hero High School. Thanks to all that protect and serve our country, they are all heros! "

" It seems unreasonable to name a high school after someone that didn't finish high school. Vandegrift was a leader and a stellar member of the community. B-movie actors don't get schools named after them just because Ronald Reagan does. I'm sure Morris was a great guy, but his impact in the area wasn't as large as Vandegrift's. "

" To Wrong message for students:

I agree. I wonder what kind of person feels really good about taking two young heroes, who both died in defense of our country, and showering one with praise and honor, and then give nothing to the other. They never even mention him.

I find discriminating between the two young men, and the apparent applause that it's getting, to be more than a little repugnant.

That's okay. Matt Morris will be my hero. He wasn't perfect, or lived a fairytale life, and wasn't the best or most popular kid in high school either - and neither did I. I can look up to him because he had a life that a lot of us had, and in the end through life's ups and downs he went on to do a very great thing. He may not be memorialized in a grand way like Vandegrift, but Matt Morris can be a hero for the rest of us. "

" It disturbs me on how much emphasis is put on graduating high school. There are many more important steps in life we take. Vandegrift and Morris come from two different families and took two different paths in life. Why is Vandegrift’s life on earth more significant than that of Morris’s? Is it because his life happened to go the way that you see in a fairytale movie? Born into a family who made good money. (You can’t live in Steiner Ranch, if you can’t afford the payments) Football player, honor student, popular, and I am almost sure it was destined to him since he was a young child that he would attend college.
Enter Morris. Bit of a trouble maker, but apparently not troubled to badly, he didn’t end up in prison. So what – He didn’t graduate from high school the way the majority of people did. Some people enjoy going to school and some do not. In this day and age, with all the technology that has created internet bullying and even more desire for people to “keep up with the jones” and labels and stereotypes, has created more stress among teens. Maybe Morris didn't like all the horse manure that comes with attending high school. Maybe he didn't value prom queens, kings, cliques and popularity contests. But, apparently, he did indeed value an education. He got his GED. He went to military school and he decided when he was out of the service he would get a degree and become an educator.
I want my child to be like Morris. To explore ones self and find what it is in life they should do to become a better person and improve the world around them.
Morris the age of 23, and Vandegrift the age of 28. How can we compare the two? Vandegrift had five more years of his life to accomplish more. Five years is not a long time, but yet it is. I believe if Matt could’ve lived to see 28, he would have accomplished so much. Both of these young men worked for something better in life. They just did it differently. Just because Morris took a different path in life than Vandegrift, it doesn't make him any less of an important person. "

" First...

ALL board members are elected by majority vote and usually by less than 5% of eligible voters. Voter apathy continues to keep the story the same in LISD.

Naming the school was done by majority, 100% in favor I think, and will not be changed.

Second...

I think that the post is a commentary about the ineffective communication of the board as a whole. Newly elected, re-elected, the story is the same. Board members have no real desire to respond personally anymore.

I am willing to bet debate about naming a school for an honorable young man will fade and another issue effecting the district as a whole may become louder...taxes???

Fuel costs up 70%, rising construction costs and few state dollars as described in articles in the Hill Country News...

How quiet will board members new or old be then?

Remember that school board elections directly effect everyone and are held every May. "

" To some of you regarding the Board members and representation--let's get real here! The 7 members of the Board are elected to represent the best interests of the ENTIRE district and the public education services it provides to the all children and the taxpayers who live in it. The mentality that a board member should represent a certain area is wrong-this leads to favoritism and pitting neighborhoods against neighborhoods. Something too often done in the past. Could some of this be coming from a former Board member who recently lost the election just bitter and trying to stir things up? Most important to me in a Board member is not where they live, but rather honesty and integrity and if you'll give it a chance I suspect you will discover why at least one of the candidates last March was elected by a majority vote.

If you are upset about district communications, complain to the district-this is an administrative function not the responsibility of the Board Members. I agree in general they do a poor job. Although Board Agendas are posted on the Leander ISD website, I would like to see them sent out in Leander Insiders prior to every board meeting. Despite increasing the communication effort, I suspect community attendance will remain dismally low-but at least you have been given the opportunity to see what will be discussed.

As for the naming of the school-it should stand and arguing it after-the-fact is totally disrespectful and petty. "

" To C or CA:

We are thinking of Vandegrift's family, but we're also thinking of Matt Morris' family. How do you think THEY feel when it's told that High School #5 is named after another soldier because he was the first graduate of LISD to die in Iraq? It's an insult to them to say that their son would have received that honor, had they been better parents and made him stay in school. Morris died for our country, too. We shouldn't be discriminating between these two heroes, and elevating one so far above another. It doesn't do either of them justice. We should do the right thing and name the school "Memorial High School" and honor ALL of our heroes. "

" Folks, the board asked for input. You gave it. Naming a school is a vote of the board, not of the community. The board does not have to ask for input, but it does, to help guide its effort in naming new schools. Just because it did not end up being your personal favorite (someone told me there were over 30 names submitted) is the unfortunate result of having too many names for this one building. What exactly is wrong with honoring a student? We have honored teachers in the past , too. We say it is about the students but when push comes to shove, is that true? Seems like from the reaction to this school name that that is not the case. "

" I am appalled at the reaction of my neighbors to the naming of HS #5. It brings tears to my eyes to think that Vandegrift gave the unltimate gift to this country and all people can do is whine about it. Think of the family, they were overwhelmed when their son was honored but you all have taken that away. I have had a loved gone for 15 months in Iraq and worried everyday if it was his last. Please make this a memorial to all our fallen heros. "

" I am appalled at the reaction of my neighbors to the naming of HS #5. It brings tears to my eyes to think that Vandegrift gave the unltimate gift to this country and all people can do is whine about it. Think of the family, they were overwhelmed when their son was honored but you all have taken that away. I have had a loved gone for 15 months in Iraq and worried everyday if it was his last. Please make this a memorial to all our fallen heros. "

" To Well Said,

I respectfully disagree. Despite the poor turnout for the board vote, isn’t it still the board’s responsibility to communicate information to those that they serve – whether those people voted or did not vote?

Those areas that you mention – Steiner Ranch/River Place/Grandview Hills – do not always get what they want. The problem that these residents are having right now is all due to the lack of communication from the district. Yes, the district sent out an email asking for name nominations. The next email that they sent was about the results of their vote after the June 19th meeting. Residents in this area did send in suggestions for names. Maybe it wasn’t the huge number that many of us would have liked; however, I am now personally convinced that many of them knew nothing about that request for names.

Of the residents that did send in name suggestions, they, unfortunately, didn’t have a well-organized campaign. If you look at the numbers, however, the majority wanted some kind of geographical name. You would think because of past history (other school names have been disputed in the past), the board might have conducted a town hall meeting. Maybe Mr. Streit and/or Mr. Sneeringer, since they live closer to this area compared to other board members, could have met with some residents. If nothing else, why couldn’t the board let the families served by this school have more input into a pared down list of names? Why couldn’t they have sent a follow-up email that provided information on the nomination results and included details on future meetings and board voting? If someone can explain why this is a bad idea, I would like to know! The naming process would have created a greater sense of ownership and pride in the school if the residents served by the school could have helped to participate. I think the majority of the area residents would still appreciate some answers from the board. "

" Well said Dennis,

You got a stadium, new middle and high school last year. Steiner/River Place/Grandview Hills seems to get all it wants. Contentment prevails over the south. Remember as Dennis points out, other areas of the district do not have facilities close to them to call home. March rolls around and what do you do? Nothing..Jim Sneeringer gets re elected and Will Streit replaces a current board member. An issue comes up in May to name the new school and the response to the call to have input is..nothing. The current board votes and you wonder why you got left out.


This issue is over and I fully support the board's decision.

Two members of the board live close to the area, Jim Sneeringer and Will Streit. Are you at all suprised that neither one of them took the time to send out a note about the issue in advance? Why should they? The area has a low participation rate in school board elections, rarely keeps up with LISD matters and in this case became involved AFTER the horse is out of the barn. Where is the response from Will and Jim to those with questions or concerns? My bet is you are not going to get any.

I am also willing to bet that there are more inportant issues coming. Will Streit and Jim Sneeringer are in place for three more years....get the picture yet? "

" Too many board members living in one huddled mass: The LISD needs to be represented by people living in districts located from all over the ISD!...... Schools named after those who have done little or nothing for our district: Laura Bush Elementary School, for instance....... There is no doubt Lt. Vandergrift was a noble soldier, but so were those who came from here and died in all previous wars. "

" Dear south end of LISD AKA (Steiner Whiners) What else do you want. You got your own stadium after the CFAC placed that as the 3rd best option. By the way you will be the only HS in LISd who has a stadium that no one else plays in all that so you did not have to drive 15 miles 5 times a year. Now you complain that the majority did not have a say in the name of the HS. Well the majority did have a say it's called the school board. All 7 were elected by majority vote. If you don't like the way they vote run against them and get on the board. Be ready to give up several hours every other Thursday night for 3 years, make tough choices and listen to folks complain all the time and all this for no pay! Be happy you got your HS and you got your own stadium and your kids will never have to ride a bus to a home football game. "

" ...but in naming the school Vandegrift High School, you're essentially saying he wasn't a good enough person, even though he was the first LISD student to die in Iraq and Afghanistan. By elevating one (Vandegrift) without even acknowledging the other (Morris) we are basically saying one young man was a better person. Who are we to pass judgment on these two young heroes who gave their lives to this country?

Who wants to go to Morris' parents and say "We're sorry for your loss, and are very thankful for his service to our country, but because you didn't keep him in school we can't name this new high school after him. We're just going to put his name on a plaque instead."?

Of course no one would say that, it would be disrespectful. However, we don't have to say it. They'll be reminded of that fact on a regular basis since Morris' parents have remained in the area.

Why did we have to draw the line at high school graduation? Doesn't dying for your country forgive a certain amount of past transgression? To my knowledge, Morris was no criminal, so why do we have to denigrate his memory just because he decided to enlist and serve his country instead of graduate?

After pondering this, I'm beginning to wonder why we have to mention particular soldier's names at all. As has been mentioned, there are surely more soldiers than the two mentioned, as young men and women from this area have been in the military and honorably served this country for decades.

Renaming the high school has nothing to do with politics, or patriotism, it's about not discriminating against those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and finding a way to honor ALL of them. Personally, I could care less if we named the high school War Memorial High School (or simply Memorial High School). I just don't think honoring one soldier above all others is the right thing to do. Let's try to do right by all of our heroes. "

" Thank you, Scott McDonald, for saying this is a healthy debate for our community. I agree. And thank you for your well-written and succinct editorial.

I am new to the Steiner Ranch neighborhood and to this district. My kids are young and this is our first experience in any public school system. In the past year that we’ve lived here, my family and/or I have attended four meetings of the Board of Trustees. I had no idea how vigilant a family had to be about what is happening with their school district. I thought information flowed more smoothly from the district and to the residents. In this day where we have all sorts of ways to send information, you would think that we, as LISD residents, would be extremely well informed.

I signed up for the Leander ISD Insider while I was involved in the first issue with the board last fall/winter. And that has been helpful. But I know that not everyone in our neck of the woods knows about this system. And, frankly, although we knew the board was taking ideas on names, I never received an additional Leander ISD Insider email about the results of the nomination process. Not did I receive an email that the board would vote on this decision at their June 19th meeting. I did, however, read the June 12th issue of the Four Points news (a Hill Country News publication) and was surprised to learn that the meeting was the following week. My family and I quickly sent emails to everyone we knew and an email campaign ensued.

You know the rest of the story. The Hill Country News has done a good job of reporting the events.

Here’s how I see what has transpired over this name.

 Those who are in opposition to the board’s decision are not in opposition to the Vandegrift family nor are they in opposition to Matthew and his friends who want the school named after this young man. They are opposition to the WAY the board handled themselves leading up to the vote on June 19th (lack of communication to area residents) and during the meeting that night.

 Those who are passionately in favor of naming the school Lt. Matthew R. Vandegrift High School see those who are in opposition to the name as disgraceful individuals, posting comments like “shame on you.” Yet, fairness is the core of the debate not Matthew. Again, it’s opposition to the naming process that they are upset about. They want better communication from the board on these issues. They want the board to recognize the situation that the board created. Those who say “shame on you” want to accuse someone of being disgraceful. I suggest that they accuse the board. They are the ones who instigated this debate.

I believe the board should have taken the following action.

1) After closing the nomination process at the end of May, they should have communicated to us the results and how they planned to vote – a vote that would take place on June 19th. They should have outlined exactly how the process would take place.
2) In this communication, they should have been clear about how they would vote – that the name that received the single most nominations would be a clear frontrunner. From the list, it would have been obvious what was happening.

However, the board did not do this. Since they did not take the above action, I believe they should have tabled the discussion on June 19th. Here is why.

During the last couple of weeks, I have learned how our neighborhood is referred to as the Steiner Weiners because of similar situations that have occurred in the past. I also learned that the board reversed their decision on two other school names in the past – Canyon Lands Middle School to Canyon Ridge and Don Tew Elementary to Grandview Hills Elementary. Sounds to me that the board could have guessed this reaction to the high school name might be coming. They certainly had plenty of emails from area residents to this effect. You would think if there were any sense at all that this could be the result, the board would have done everything in their power to avoid it. In fact, Grace Jordan voiced this exact opinion during the June 19th meeting. Knowing this, the board could have tabled the discussion on June 19th rather than voting so quickly.

After tabling the discussion, the board could have put out their own campaign on why Lt. Matthew R. Vandegrift is a good name. They could have sent out their board members to visit with residents whose children would be attending this school. Sponsor a town hall meeting of sorts. They could have appealed to us with an open form of communication. Maybe the outcome would have been that the majority of people did want the name Lt. Matthew R. Vandegrift High School. But instead, they ignored us and made us feel disenfranchised. And the majority of people who live in this area effected do feel that way.

To those of you who are opposing the board’s process, please don’t let the people who have blogged on this site calling you shameful and such make you feel badly. Those people who have put you down are in the minority. They can so easily lash out and make you feel like you don’t care about the Vandegrift family. The thing about that is – we do care! My family would be honored to donate time and money to erect some kind of Wall of Honor. And I would bet many who represent the south district would follow suit – whether they are from Steiner Ranch, River Place, Grandview Hills, Westminister Glen or elsewhere. We love this country same as you who love the name Lt. Matthew R. Vandegrift.

One thing is sure: we will not miss another board meeting. We will not miss another opportunity or be caught in a situation so last minute that we can’t get the word out. Some say we deserve this because we’re apathetic. Not all of us are apathetic. Those of us who have been working to get our voices heard are far from it.

In the future, I hope that the board will take a different nomination process. After they receive their names, post them for all to see. How to do this? We’d love to tell you. There are lots of great ways to communicate your message. Maybe the district needs a new communications director to lead the way. A solid and effective communications plan would also advise against the board voting on such an important issue during the summer months when people are on vacation.

For those of you who are like me, just learning the system, I suggest that you do the following:

1) Sign up for Leander ISD Insider (go to www.leanderisd.org and click on Parents & Students at the top of the page. You’ll see the Leander ISD Insider link on the left side of the page).
2) Next, subscribe to the Hill Country News (www.hillcountrynews.com)
3) Third, join the local community group that is forming to ensure that one representative from the southern district is always attending each and every board meeting for the purposes of properly disseminating school district information to residents.

What is next? We need to hear from the Board of Trustees. They are at fault here and they need to remedy the situation. "

" This is Scott, editor of the Hill Country News and hillcountrynews.com.

We at the News have stated our view in 2 separate opinion columns this week. The latest is http://www.hillcountrynews.com/articles/2008/06/27/opinion/local/scott_mcdonald31.txt

I'm glad to see discussion on this topic and certainly wish we had seen more before the school board put it to a vote. Some of the banter I've seen is healthy.

Each comment has to be approved by me before it makes it online. With an extremely small staff and none that will be working this weekend, I can't guarantee much will be posted immediately, however, I'll try to keep an eye on it over the weekend.

Thanks for reading and being an integral part of the community.

Respectfully,
Scott McDonald "

" I think the people who are complaining may not be in the majority. Although I did not originally submit Vandegrift for the name, I don't feel it is right to now change the decision. Despite the facts--that the board may have been biased, that the voting process is seriously lacking, that there was another student Matt Morris who also lost his life, etc.. Maybe we should have named it Morris-Vandegrift. Fact is, a decision was already made and to change is would be tragic. Let's do the right thing and accept this. As for Matt Morris, he too gave his life and attended LISD. Maybe name the stadium, Morris Memorial Stadium. "

" Because we actually want a say in how our tax money is spent. The simple fact that the board voted on this without listening to what the residents of the south end of the district had to say is a testament to this. I'm actually shocked that they could be so swayed by emotional testimony, without much regard for rational judgment. Is anyone surprised that there's an uproar about this?

I agree that the decision was made VERY hastily (Vandegrift has only been gone not yet THREE months), and without regard to what the residents of the area whose children will be attending the school will think.

Sadly, I don't think I'll be thinking a Lt. Vandegrift's valiant service when I see this high school. I'll be thinking of how the rest of the district has so little regard for the rights and opinions of the district's south end. I'm sure they think this is really funny, as they cash my tax checks. The disdain that the rest of the district has for us is quite apparent, especially in some of the comments here.

I sure hope that the opposition to this fiasco becomes ORGANIZED opposition. At the very least, many members of the board don't deserve our votes in the future.

I deeply regret that I supported Will Streit in the last election. I had a neighbor try to talk me out of voting for him, saying "He's not from our end of town, and he may not represent us." I disagreed, saying that Will wouldn't do that to us. I was wrong, and I won't be making that mistake again... "

" As a teacher in LISD and a resident of Steiner Ranch, I am starting to understand why others in the district call us the "Steiner whiners." I find it ironic that the petition regarding the naming of HS #5 wasn't circulated until AFTER that decision had been made. It very typical of the same parents who are raising children with a sense of entitlement to assume complaining after the fact will have some sort of an impact. The decision has been made... It's done; move on. Vandegrift HS can serve as a symbol/memorial for all LISD veterans/soldiers. "

" Is all this debate truly necessary? The man was a hero. Period. This man had the potential to do whatever his heart desired, he possessed the intellect to be one of this nations great future leaders or executives. His path to greatness led him down a route that less than 1 percent of this nation is willing to do. He volunteered to serve his country via the armed forces. Most importantly, I feel, if we had an opportuntiy to talk to Matt Vandegrift one last time, I think he might say "I'm glad it was me and not one of my soldiers". I honestly believe he feels that way because "Greater Love hath no man than this than lay down his life for a friend". So, do I support this name, yes i do. "

" The United States of America is founded on the principles of freedom and democracy. From the very beginning our brave citizens fought for these liberties. We remember from our earliest days in school that our country has fought many wars since its founding to help preserve this spirit of freedom and our life based on freedom of expression in a democracy. Throughout our history we have fought at home and aboard to preserve and defend the principles for which we stand.

This spirit of freedom and democracy should be cherished and never taken for granted. We have been granted freedom of speech in particular, and we feel it's the right of every citizen to stand up and fight to defend that freedom wherever we feel it is being diminished. Otherwise our brave troops will have fought and or died in vain.

The families who will send their children to High School No. 5 are fighting for their freedom to name their school, and feel this is a matter of principle. The same rights that our military is fighting for in Iraq are being denied here at home with the actions of LISD School Board. The Board is not listening to the voice of the community at large. What is being taught in our schools, in government class and social studies? Are our children learning about what America really stands for? Don't they see in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights that the actions of the LISD School Board are contrary to the rights given citizens to become involved in the democratic process? We believe that the School Board has totally disenfranchised the voters of the district, and is ignoring the voting rights of the families who will send their children to attend High School No.5.

The School Board tells us that we can only nominate names and they make the naming decision. But, in the same e-mail, the School Board states " You should know, however, that "Vandegrift" was indeed the single nominee sent in by the largest number of individuals." See, THAT IS A VOTE!!! We were told to send in nominees only. We were not told that a vote was taken place with our nominations. Also, if all the geographical nominations were added together, they would greatly exceed the number of Vandegrift nominations.

If you truly want to honor our military soldiers, you must understand and accept what they stand for. The Armed Forces Oath: I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of The United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God. The U.S. Constitution provides all of us our freedom and our democracy, our right to vote.

For those of you who keep insisting that we are against Matthew Vandegrift, shame, shame on you. This debate is about our freedom, our democracy and what The United States of America stands for.

For those of you who call us whiners, instead you should be proud of your fellow Americans. We are standing up for our rights, the same rights that our Armed Forces fight for. Today it's our rights being denied, tomorrow it could be yours. Those of us who believe in America and the U.S. Constitution will always be there ready to fight and defend the rights of our fellow American citizens.

Your Fellow American "

" Dear Dear Whiner Too,

Your comment reinforces the point. Check a map. 1431 is the middle of our district. Note that about half of the schools are above, half below.

But to play along with your comment, over half of the board members live south of Cedar Park High School (Cypress Creek Rd). Maybe you don't notice that a board member lives across the street from Steiner Ranch. Is that not close enough because it does not say Steiner Ranch? Oh, and no Leander resident sits on the school board of Leander ISD.

So you are right. It must be the South that is not well represented. "

" You couldn't have picked a geographic location farther from the south of the district to make the statement that the board members live close - so far that your assertion is laughable. 1431 is about as far from Steiner Ranch and River Place as you can get. Personally, I only get up that direction about once a year since it's more than a half hour's drive and there's no reason for me to get that far out. If you're going to make the statement that the board members live close enough, pick a marker that's more in the middle of the district. I'm pretty sure you'd get very different results.

In the end, most people live far away from the south end of the district, and apparently couldn't care less about what we think down here. They sure do like our tax revenue, though! "

" I live in Steiner Ranch, and I am very concerned about this decision. Why did the consideration to name the school after him have to be brought up so soon? After all, his passing was only this past spring. Didn't anyone think that there might be some disagreement to this decision? It's silly to assume that there would be unanimous agreement over something so charged as the naming of a high school. It's a sad testament to his memory that there should be fighting over his name so soon after he left this world. I can't believe he would have wanted this...

To me, the answer is that it was way too soon to even to have considered naming this school after him. We should have named the school after a geographic location, and waited until the raw emotions of this soldier's passing was behind us. There will be other high schools to be named, and his name would have certainly been considered for any one of them.

Pity. I'm sincerely disappointed that this was even brought up at this time in the first place. As a Steiner Ranch resident, with three sons who will eventually attend this high school, I strongly disagree with the school board's decision to hastily name this high school, with very little input from the residents who will be directly impacted. It simply shouldn't have even been brought up at this time. " "

" Dear whining,

Number of board members who live south of 1431 = 7 (including next to the dam)

Number of board members who live north of 1431 = 0 "

" Maybe it should have been named Steiner High since a lot of the neighborhood thinks it's all about them! They should have been involved from the beginning if they cared so much. I'm embarassed to have such egocentric neighbors. "

" I would love to see Lt. Vandegrift and his fellow soldiers honored this way. Is it preferable to name it for a canyon and honor no one in the process? You can say what you want about the current political situation, but live secure in the knowledge that US servicemen are poised to take a bullet for our sorry suburban butts if duty calls.

South LISD taxpayers DID vote on this issue (and others) by not voting during the board election. "

" I think the board is correct in its decision to honor Matt Vandergrift

As "Katie" suggests, I think the board should have named the new stadium "Vandergrift Memorial Stadium" so that the honor goes to all of those young people that have made the ultimate sacrifice. There are heros throughout the district, including this young man, and they are the reason we have the life we do here.

As for the south...

How foolish you look now...

The results of your apathy, Steiner/River Place/Grandview Hills, should be no suprise. You did not vote in the recent school board election as evidenced by the embarassing turnout and now you want to complain about this issue. An issue that was presented well in advance so that you had plenty of opportunity to have input. Your apathy ruled the day again. No vote...no representation, no say in important issues, it is just that simple.

The real irony here is that these young men died in war to protect your freedom, for your right to vote, for your ability to have a say in an important issue but you didn't bother to vote in school board election or go to an open discussion about naming the school in May/Jun. "

" If there was ever concern that a terrorist would even consider attacking a school (LOL) I'd be concerned for those students at Laura Bush Elementary. "

" Matt Vandegrift embodied what we would all want our children to achieve. He was a total young man to be proud of that was not only excelled academically, physically, and socially, but was also a strong leader. What better place to be named in his honor with ongoing recognition than where we hope others will come into their own emulating him. His lasting memory in years to come can be the banner carried by the school administration to motivate its students. My vote is to keep the name Vandegrift High. "

" I have known Matthew & Barrett Vandegrift since their births. Both knew as they grew up that they would serve their country.

When visiting the Vandegrift family in January 1987 I noticed a small sign on their refrigerator door:

"The Vandegrift Family Mission Statement"
The mission of the Vandegrift Family is to create a nurturing place of order, truth, love, happiness and relaxation. To provide opportunities for each of us to become responsibly independent and effectively independent in order to achieve worthwhile purposes.

Our foundation is based on Christian principles; a belief in God, the Holy Bible and faith in each other.

Whether hanging on your refrigerator door or held warmly in your heart these are family values that are shared by many in your community. You have chosen the correct name for your new high school and may all who attend there feel the need to serve others.

God Bless You "

" As one who was close to another fallen soldier from the area I believe that the district should come up with a memorial for all those who serve from our area. Not just those who have given the ultimate sacrifice but to all who serve and have served. My father is a retired veteran of the U.S. Army and I was raised along with many other children in LISD whose parents have been in the Military as well. As a Cedar Park Alumni I would like a place to go where I can honor not just those I have lost but those who are still fighting (including many classmates) and those who fought before so that my generation has the ability to live freely!! "

" How to best remember a fallen soldier? How best to remember all who have given their life for their country or their community?

A name such as "Hill Country Memorial High School" might best have accomplished this, with the stadium, or other significant landmark on the school grounds, named after Lt. Vandegrift.

The sacrifices of brave, patriotic, men and women such as Lt. Vandegrift do deserve to be honored. However, the board, in my opinion, did not look at the big picture here and how to best honor our fallen warriors in a timeless fashion, if that was the goal.

This was about naming a high school, and should not have been an emotional decision made in the grieving months after a soldier has fallen. By putting Lt. Vandegrift's name in the pool of possible names for final consideration, the board set themselves, and the community, up for some amount of disappointment no matter how this turned out; and also risks further emotional strife for the Lt.'s family. "

" As the sister of the first soldier to be killed who lived in Leander I am both touched and saddened by the name change. On one hand I am so thrilled that people are honoring Matt Vandegriff's sacrifice. But on the other hand I cannot help feeling that it casually throws aside the sacrifice my brother gave and the sacrifice countless others have and will unfortunately make. I think a memorial would more appropriately honor the brave men and women who have lost their lives serving this country.

Sister of Spc. Matthew Troy Morris
KIA Balad,Iraq 4-6-08 "

" I am very glad that the board chose this name for our new High School. Matt was a true hero and I am honored to send my children there someday. I hope the board stands by their decision and doesn't bend to the loud minority. "

" Think about how the family of the second soldier killed might feel... Think about how the first disabled LISD soldier feels...There's lots of ways to honor fallen soldiers--naming a high school for one without thinking through the ramifications is irresponsible. The community has the right to vote for the name--that's what Vandergrift died for--it's called democracy! "

" I agree with you that it would be awful for the parents to change the name now. But, have you or anyone for that matter thought about the security issue involved with naming a school after a fallen war hero in the midst of a very controversial war? What if the name singles this school out as a future terrorist target? Personally, I don't want to take that chance. I'd rather change the name of the school and explain to Vendegrift's parents than chance that any child will be hurt or their school singled out because it honors a fallen war hero. This is not the time and a school is not the place to make this type of political statement. "

" Please see the quotes from the Steiner residents in the above article. All well said, and mainly all well thought through which was lacking when deciding the name of the HS whatever that be...

Please people lets keep our heads in this decision. "

" To even think of changing the name is very immature and sad. These same people who live there and live their lifestyles are able to because of soldiers/marines like Lt. Vandegrift. Sad sad people. "

" this is the petition http://www.ipetitio ns.com/petition/ LISDHS5/

You can go there and speak your opinion about the high school. I voted for Vandegrift. It asks you to make a donation, but I believe your vote counts even if you do not. "

" When the vote was open, I admit that I voted for Four Points High School. After the decision was made for Vandegrift last week, I fully support the board's decision. The other day an email was floating around Steiner to petition to get the name changed. I couldn't believe it. I don't think anyone has thought ahead to the ramifications of this name change.

I have to think about Matt Vandegrift's parents. How did it feel to lose a son? How did it feel to find out that a high school would be named in his memory? I'm sure they must have felt a extreme sense of pride in knowing their son would never be forgotten. And now, all of these people that are from the same neighborhood as Matt lived in are trying to get it changed. So, we have to ask ourselves, how would the parents feel if this is taken back? I can't even imagine. So, I challenge all of you people who want to change the name of the high school that if it does indeed happen, you should all go to Matt's parents and tell them the news that the new high school is "Lake Hills" which has so much more meaning than "Vandegrift". What a shame. "