César Chávez Elementary name change advisory committee meeting canceled after failing to reach quorum.

A committee tasked with determining if César Chávez Elementary School in Salinas should be renamed canceled its first meeting on Thursday, Aug. 27, due to a lack of quorum.

Since news broke about sexual misconduct allegations against late labor unionist and political activist Cesar Chavez earlier this year, many jurisdictions, school districts and college campuses began to rename facilities or discuss renaming those that were named after Chávez.

The Library and Community Services Commission for the City of Salinas is currently reviewing names which were also proposed by residents in an online survey by Aug. 14,  to rename the City’s library and park that are named after Chavez.

The Alisal Union School District Board of Trustees approved 5-0 on Wednesday, April 22, forming a citizen advisory committee to gather public input on whether César Chávez Elementary School should be renamed.

“We’re not the judge and jury here,” said Beatriz Perez, vice president of the board of trustees, during the April 22 meeting. “Our job is to hear from the community.”

The citizen advisory committee may recommend retaining the current name, changing it, or considering alternatives.

Jesús Velásquez, trustee for Area 5, said that while they supported forming the committee, the final choice should remain with elected board members.

“I don’t mind having the committee be formed,” Velásquez said. “But I still think the name change should be left up to the board.”

The committee’s first meeting was canceled due to being shy of four members to make a quorum. 

There are a total of 16 members on the committee, where each of the five trustees selected two citizens throughout Salinas, and the six others are members of the school itself, consisting of two students who were selected by Principal Veronica Medina, according to Alisal Union School District Superintendent Monica Anzo. 

Although the meeting was called off, people who did show up on Thursday, Aug. 27 were able to ask questions in an informal setting. 

Rais Abassi, associate superintendent and chief business official for Alisal Union School District, shared that the estimated cost for the name change is about $100,000 and will take a process of two to three months. 

If the school name is changed, Abassi says, “the name would have to be changed everywhere. Each and every agency has to be notified about the change of the name including the fire department and the U.S. Postal Office and the name has to be changed in the California Department of Education records.”

The school will announce when a second attempt for a meeting will take place, where the committee will elect a chair and vice-chair to decide what process to take. 

Alejandra Ruiz Rubio, a parent of two students attending César Chávez Elementary School, says the name must not be changed. 

“Although Mr. Chávez did a lot for our farmworkers, I think the name no longer represents that era,” Rubio says. “The school represents the students, the parents who've gone to the school and future generations.”

Abassi added that whatever decision is made, it must be done carefully. 

“[The name] is going to stay here for 100, 200, 300 years. So [the name] must reflect the community and the educational needs of this community,” Abassi says.