HawthorneVillager.com

[thepowells]

Last night, Halton's trustees overwhelmingly voted in favour or naming Milton's newest Elementary School "Tiger Jeet Singh Elementary School".

There are a bunch of people that were really rooting for Coates Crossing being chosen - please join our facebook group and show your support

[Steve Heath]

I had to google the name to find out who he is, and while I personally have no issue with whatever a school is named, it would have made more sense to me to save this name for a high school with a wrestling program.

And along those lines, I'm still waiting for a courthouse (since we'll never have a navy base in Milton) to be named for David James Elliott...

[skygirl]

Why do you think it should be re-named?

[BackToMilton]

OMG! They've finally cracked. The HDSB has named a school after a Professional WRESTLER? That is a total joke. I've heard that he lives in a big house in Milton, around Peru Rd., but as far as I know that's it. If anyone has any info that shows that he deserves to have a school named after him please post. If there isn't any, then I nominate "Stone Cold" Steve Autsin as a school name....And that's the bottom line, cause Stone Cold said so!!!


P.S. Here's his Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Jeet_Singh

I does mention some charitable work in Canada and India, but what kind?

[thepowells]

Here's a video of a jungle death match between atsushi onita and Tiger Jeet singh. We could get all our kids together and watch their schools namesake beat someone over the heard with a sword.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOZrjiW7m-c

Again - I have nothing against professional wrestlers, but it's hardly appropriate, in my opinion.

My choice (of the 4 that were up for grabs) would have been Coates Crossing Public School. The other two options were:

Robert McCaw Public School (Retired Halton Principal and renowned photographer)

John Deacon Public School (former teacher, Halton school inspector (1885-1912). Elected twice as Mayor of Milton.)

[hawthorner]

But Milton names schools after notable Miltonions. Case in point: PL Robertson that my kids will attend next year. Milton also names everything from neighbourhoods (Scott, Harrison etc) and parks (Brian Best park, Clarke park) and sports centres (John Tonelli Sports Centre) and streets (pretty much all of them) after Miltonians.

Tiger Jeet Singh is also a recipient of Government of Canada’s Lifetime Achievement Award and on Milton's walk of fame at the town hall.

I can see why one wouldn't consider wrestling in the same league as other sports, but then again some people consider hockey to be violent and dangerous too. Ironically we have no problems with celebrating boxers, but why not wrestlers too?

At the end of the day he's an athlete from Milton (even if I don't agree with his choice of sports).

[my2boyz]

"He wrestled as a crazed heel, coming to the ring with a sword in his mouth (and using it to taunt fans and attack wrestlers)." This is who the board decides to name their school after?
I went to school with Tiger jr and nothing at all against the family, they've been in Milton a long time but I have to agree that I think this is a poor choice for an elementry school name. I agree with a pp, save it for maybe the new high school (with a wrestling program)
Doesn't affect me, my kids don't go there but I'll supoprt your facebook group. I hope the board is prepared for the backlash on this one.

[MiltonSchoolTrustee]

I can give some info if you like "backtomilton".
The name was chosen by trustees last night for a number of reasons.
Tiger Jeet Singh was named and has served as "MIlton's Goodwill Ambassador" by the Mayor's office since the 1980s. He was recently honoured as one of the inaugural members of Milton's Walk of Fame.
In his delegation to us, John Challinor summed it up, saying that "On a community level, he is a role model for humanity around the world, a humble man from humble beginnings who worked hard, achieved success and now advocates to thousands of parents and their children about drug and alcohol awareness, the importance of staying in school and the need to be physically fit."
In his letter of support Mayor Krantz stated "Mr Singh, along with his son, are very postive goodwill youth ambassadors and models for our youth community."
The list of his philanthropic and humanitarian works is an incredibly long one.
From my own perspective, I supported this name for other reasons as well. Milton is a rapidly growing and diverse population. We are no longer the small rural community we once were. Visible minorities in our town have risen over 780% in the past few years.
All the data shows that students are more engaged in their learning when they see themselves reflected in the culture and community of their school. This means seeing people similiar to themselves within the school community, textbooks, events and more. Students who are engaged achieve better learning.
Mr Singh has committeed to involvement within the school, to mentor students and to promote that message of education and anti drug/gang use.
I believe that he will make a difference to the lives of the children within this school and community. And really, that's what's at the heart of any decision I make at that board table - the student.
I understand and respect that this may not have been the decision that everyone would have made. I hope this explanation helps you understand a little more.
Donna Danielli
Public School Trustee, Milton

[Rick Di Lorenzo]

Tiger's been doing multiple good things for the community and people at large. I'm ok with the decision to name the school after him if that was the vote.

He's a prominent Miltonian who's been using his fame to help people.

I remember him recently from Troy's Toy Drive.

You can see pictures of him here http://www.troystoydrive.com/galleries/Tiger/index.html a long with Mayor Krantz, Walter Gretzky, etc during the Toy Drive.

[themasons]

Thanks Donna & Rick..

While I have to admit that the WWF connection made me hesitate when I first saw the name on the list submissions for our new school, after I heard about all the charitable work he does and his involvement with youth in the GTA (he works with groups and speaks with kids on anti-gang and anti-drug campaigns). See page 20-21 of the agenda below and the report Marnie Denton presented to the Trustees last night for the extensive list of good works by Mr. Singh:

http://www.hdsb.ca/BoardroomTrustees/Board%20Agendas%20and%20Minutes/BdAgendaPkg-March%203,%202010.pdf

I also has the pleasure of meeting Mr. Singh and his son last night. They are both humble and dedicated gentlemen. Gary (Tiger Jeet Jr) coaches the boys basketball team at W.I. Dick and invited the boys and I to a celebration they are having at Troy's Dinner so they could meet his father. I walked away from the Board meeting feeling very good about the future of our school.

All in all, I understand that the name choice may not be the first choice of a lot of you.. but I truly feel that Mr. Singh will use this honour as an opportunity to make our school a fabulous place for learning, acceptance and generosity.

[BackToMilton]

MiltonSchoolTrustee,

I don't have anything against Tiger Jeet Singh, I just have a problem with naming a school after a wrestler, and I am a huge wrestling fan going back to the 70's.
As far as his humanitarian work, thanks for informing me, it sounds like he is a great person and someone who deserves some accolades for his efforts.
I'm sure that if the name ends up sticking it will probably grow on everyone and I'm sure that it will get some press for the Town of Milton.

[UnderZenith]

If they decide to name a school after a wrestler I hope that the HDSB at least has plans on educating who Mr. Singh is, what wrestling 'really' is, and will explain the difference to the 4-12 year olds in what wrestling violence is and how that differs from the HDSB's anti-violence rules.

[Kiddan]

How about if we change the name to "Tiger Woods Elementary School"

[thepowells]

Some quotes from the web:

He wrestled as a crazed heel, coming to the ring with a sword in his mouth (and using it to taunt fans and attack wrestlers).
"In Japan people call him a villain whom they love to hate. They want their pictures taken with him but at the same time they are literally afraid of him as he walks in the streets with a sword and a stick, indiscriminately beating people with no fear of any prosecution"

He is very popular in Japan; he explains, “If I slap some Japanese lady or man, they won’t wash themselves for weeks. Because they’ll say, ‘Tiger slapped me there.’ This is the respect they have for me."

He made a name for himself in Japan while visiting the country in 1972. He got into a brawl with the bodyguards of Antonio Inoki's wife in a shopping centre, after he slapped Inoki's wife in the face; the resulting publicity propelled Tiger into the limelight.

Again I want to be perfectly clear here - I have nothing against the man and his profession and I understand he is actively involved in doing good things for the community - I simply do not think that an individual with that type of history is something that should be associated with an Elementary school.

[Bamelin]