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FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — For years, Michelle Asadoorian saw new schools in Fresno Unified named after notable figures in the Latino, Hmong and Black communities.
She was hoping this would be the year a new school would be named after a prominent Armenian American.
Specifically, the late world-renowned journalist, Fresno State professor and Fresno native Roger Tatarian.
"He taught us to be good writers, and he cared," says Asadoorian, a former student of Tatarian and Fresno Unified Board Trustee. "He was one of the kindest, gentlest man you could ever meet."
A month-long survey of the community showed overwhelming support for naming the school after Tatarian, too.
Wednesday, her hopes were dashed when Fresno Unified School Board members voted to name the newest campus in the district after philanthropists Francine and Murray Farber.
The Farbers have lived in Fresno since 2003, and established a million-dollar endowment in honor of their late son, to provide scholarships to students at Tehipite Middle School.
"I'm not sure what the motivations are," said Superintendent Bob Nelson. "Individual board members have various motivations as to why they would nominate or suggest a certain person's name."
Nelson says while the survey was meant to gather suggestions for names, the decision is ultimately up to the board.
"The idea that those people suggesting names are actually voting, and that the board is just going to ratify their vote is actually not the process," Nelson said.
More than 900 of those surveyed suggested Tatarian.
There were 88 submissions in support of the Farbers.
Asadoorian says those surveys did carry weight when she was on the board.
The proof: Vang Pao Elementary, named after the revered Hmong leader, and Gaston Middle School, named after the African-American educator and community activist.
"We're seven percent of Fresno's metropolitan population and not one school is named after Armenians," Asadoorian said.
Nelson says he sees her point.
"I think that's a major oversight, and I think that has come out of this process for certain," Nelson said, adding there could be an opportunity to still name another school after Tatarian in the future.
Even so, Asadoorian says Wednesday's decision stings.
"The good part is, is we've kind of awakened the the bear and the the Armenians have now realized that they've got to exercise their rights and powers and that's what we plan to do moving forward," she said.