After sexual abuse allegations came to light surrounding iconic farmworker leader Cesar Chavez in March, his name on public facilities and statues honoring him are being removed from the public eye across the nation.
On April 22, the Alisal Union School District Board of Trustees discussed the possibility of renaming Cesar E. Chavez Elementary School and unanimously approved forming a committee to explore the possibility.
Trustee Robert Ocampo said it seems the community is divided evenly on this matter.
“I don't do it happily because Chavez has always been a hero to me,” Ocampo said, but he also recognized there was enough evidence backing the sexual abuse and molestation claims.
Ocampo adds that while some people might say Chavez had shortcomings despite what he accomplished for farmworkers; that’s not enough to keep his name on an elementary school.
“I just don't see how you can sort of justify that, or how you even begin to explain that to an elementary school, it's beyond me,” he added.
It is unknown at this time how much a renaming could cost. Pajaro Valley Unified School District, which is moving forward with the renaming process of Cesar E. Chavez Middle School in Watsonville, has an estimated cost of more than $100,000.