For three generations, members of the Palomino family have lived just yards from Rosita Elementary, a school they helped desegregate; and in a recent decision by the Garden Grove Unified School District, the school will now bear the names of the Palomino family’s ancestors.
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Frank and Irene Palomino Elementary School will reflect the family’s legacy as one of five plaintiffs in the 1946 Mendez, et al v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al case, which sued school districts in Westminster, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and El Modena — today part of the Orange Unified School District — to challenge the segregation of Mexican-American students into separate schools.
A federal judge ruled in the families’ favor, ending segregation in public schools in California. The decision is said to have paved the way for the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.
“This renaming honors the legacy of a local family whose bravery forever changed public education,” said Board of Education Trustee Walter Muneton, who spearheaded the renaming effort.
“The Palomino family stood up for equal educational opportunities not only for their own children, but for generations of students who would follow,” Muneton said. “Their story embodies the values of courage, perseverance, and justice that we strive to teach our students every day.”
Renaming efforts began in 2025 when Muneton connected his colleagues with Andrew Palomino, grandson of Frank and Irene Palomino, to explore avenues for honoring the family’s legacy.
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Community members weighed in, and as part of that conversation, the Santa Ana City Council agreed to also rename Rosita Park, which neighbors the elementary school. The Garden Grove district also serves parts of Fountain Valley, Santa Ana and Westminster.
The Santa Ana Unified School District renamed John C. Fremont Elementary School as the Virginia and William Guzman Elementary School earlier this year, honoring another of the five families involved in the landmark case.
In 2024, a state law was signed making teaching about the case mandatory for history and social science classes in California public schools.
“Renaming the school serves as a lasting tribute to the Palomino family’s sacrifice and courage,” Trustee Teri Rocco said.
“Their story reminds us that meaningful change often begins with ordinary people who are willing to stand up for what is right,” Rocco said. “This renaming will connect Rosita Elementary School to an important piece of history and shine a light on the fight for equality for generations to come.”
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The new name will welcome students at the start of the school year in August.