An administrative proposal to remove red and blue as class colors was passed by a majority vote in ASB at the end of the 2006-2007 school year.

The four original class colors, red, blue, green and yellow, have traditionally been recycled every year. Starting with the class of 2011, orange has replaced red. According to Principal Cristy Dawson, purple will most likely replace blue as the color of the Class of 2012 after the Class of 2008 graduates.

According to an ASB member who asked to remain anonymous, Dawson explained earlier this year that the district expressed concern to the administration.

“Whenever possible, we try to stay away from colors associated with gangs,” Superintendent Barry Groves said in an e-mail.

According to Principal Wynne Satterwhite, there were two considerations behind the replacement of these colors: to make a stronger distinction between a class color and the school color and to eliminate tension caused by the gang-affiliated colors of red and blue.

“I think that it was a mutual concern among all the administrators,” ASB member junior Nima Emami said. “I think they all saw the pattern and realized it was something that they needed to deal with.”

Mountain View High School has also similarly changed its class colors.

According to Satterwhite, there were a couple of incidents last year when students felt intimidated or uncomfortable wearing red.

“Historically there have been issues with the colors of red and blue,” Dawson said. “What we decided was … that we would go ahead and introduce other colors into our palette. We want that the color of the class has nothing but a positive connotation.”

Many incoming freshmen recognize the reason for the change.

“I think the color has been changed from red to orange because of gangs and gang violence,” freshman Wesley Oribello said.

A discussion and vote was held in ASB about changing class colors.

“We didn’t go into too much detail about specific incidents,” Nima said. “I think everybody came to the consensus that there was a negative factor that was increasing the hostility on campus. We brainstormed what we thought would appeal to the incoming classes.”

According to Dawson orange was chosen out of orange, purple and black.

“We figured that orange would be fun,” Dawson said.