Last week, a memorial rose bush planted between A and B wing was mistakenly cut down, according to Stagg Maintenance & Operations lead Michael Hernandez. “Something like that should have never been cut,” Hernandez said. There are no current plans to replant the tree.
Another SUSD employee was contacted in connection with the removal, but did not respond.
The rose bush was planted in dedication to a student, Michael James Perez, who died in 1999 of a brain hemorrhage. During his time at Stagg, Perez was president of the M.E.Ch.A. Club, or “Movimento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlan”, which translates to “Chicano Student Movement of Aztlán.”
Connie Martinez was a close family friend of the Perez family who had helped pay for his memorial and was an old teacher who had worked at Stagg. Over a phone call, Martinez remembers him saying he wanted to connect with his culture.
“The main thing that I remember from that day is that he told me that he wanted to learn about his culture and his language,” said Martinez.
Stagg Online reached out to Israel Villavicencio, landscape maintenance supervisor, who said there was a substitute worker the day it was cut down. “In the meantime, I may be able to replant another rose bush in that area while the original one recovers.”
