Oñate HIGH SCHOOL TO BE RENAMED ORGAN MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL

The city of Las Cruces has a new high school…name, that is.  The Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education voted to rename Oñate High School.  The school will become Organ Mountain High School.  The new name will take effect July 2021.

The name change is a result of a national conversation about names of buildings, schools and institutions honoring controversial figures.  The school’s namesake, Don Juan de Oñate y Salazar, was a Spanish conquistador and colonial governor of the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México.  He remains a controversial figure in New Mexican history.

The original school name was chosen by a city vote while the school was under construction in the early 90’s.  The Organ Mountains are located just east of Las Cruces in Doña Ana County.  The school district will change the new name around the facility on scoreboards, signs and banners, along with changing uniforms.  The school mascot will still be the Knights and the colors (teal, black, silver) will remain the same.