In California — the first state to observe a holiday for Cesar Chavez, a man widely recognized as a pivotal figure in the country’s civil rights history — education leaders are rethinking his role in the curriculum and planning to strip his name from schools, following the publication this week of explosive sexual abuse allegations against him.

The accusations — by women who said he abused them when they were girls and also by fellow labor leader Dolores Huerta, who said he coerced her into sex on one occasion and raped her on another — have already led to cancellations of events across the country planned around Cesar Chavez Day, observed on his birthday, March 31. California lawmakers created the holiday in 2000. On Thursday, they said they plan to rename it “Farmworkers Day.” 

Meanwhile, California school districts are scrambling over how to address the sex abuse claims against Chavez, who cofounded United Farm Workers in 1962 with Huerta and Larry Itliong in Delano, California, to advocate for higher wages and better working conditions for farm workers; it is the oldest such union in continuous operation in the United States. Up to 50 schools in California bear Chavez’s name and his legacy has been a staple of the school curriculum. The state requires students from elementary school to high school to learn about his life and contributions to the farm worker movement. 

Chavez, who died in 1993 at the age of 66, is considered one of the most revered figures in the history of the nation’s labor movement. His work has special significance for Latinos in California, who, at 3.25 million, represent 56 percent of students in public schools. Now, school districts are distancing themselves from the man that generations of students grew up learning about and condemning his alleged abuse of young girls and women, revealed on Wednesday in The New York Times. 

“There is no place — ever — for the abuse of children or any person, anywhere,” Fabi Bagula, superintendent of San Diego Unified School District, said in a joint statement with the school board provided to The 19th. “San Diego Unified is committed to supporting our community through this moment by creating the space and structure for thoughtful, respectful conversations — grounded in truth, centered on students, and responsive to those most impacted.”

The district said its priority is to support those who may have been harmed.

“As we move forward, including conversations about a school that bears his name, our focus will be on listening deeply to better understand the impact to the school community and how we might collectively move forward in a way that prioritizes student safety and a sense of belonging,” the statement continued.

Chavez has extensive ties to Salinas, an agricultural city on California’s central coast region, where he and the farm workers union organized a number of strikes. In a letter to staff, school board members and families shared with The 19th, officials in the Salinas City Elementary School District denounced his abuse and supported the decision by the United Farm Workers Foundation to cancel its annual celebrations honoring Chavez.

The district also emphasized its efforts to protect students from sexual violence, saying in the letter: “If a staff member suspects, or a student speaks to any staff member about abuse issues, sexual or otherwise, we are duty-bound to take it seriously and report it to the police.” The letter also provides information on how students can be supported — from counselors at district schools to contact information for the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) and to the Monterey County Rape Crisis Center.

The Board of Education for the Los Angeles Unified School District, the state’s largest, last year passed a resolution calling for schools to provide curriculum and resources on Chavez’s advocacy for workers’ rights and community empowerment. 

Following the allegations against Chavez, a district spokesperson emphasized that the triumphs of the farm worker movement stem from collective organizing. 

“Los Angeles Unified respects the voices and courage of survivors of all forms of violence,” the spokesperson said in a statement provided to The 19th on Wednesday. “The District is reviewing curriculum and resources to ensure the emphasis remains on the important work of the farmworker movement, not on any one individual. It is important to recognize the collective work of thousands who have advanced social justice, labor rights, and community empowerment.”

In the Bakersfield City School District, just 35 miles north of the UFW’s headquarters in Keene, school officials said they are “actively reviewing the matter internally” and working with schools “to postpone any planned Cesar Chavez-related celebrations.” The district said it is committed to ensuring “all of our schools reflect the values of our district and continue to be safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments for every student.” A spokesperson for the Kern High School District, also in Bakersfield, said officials are “aware of the allegations” and evaluating next steps in its approach to celebratory activities.” 

In the Fresno Unified School District in California’s Central Valley, officials are identifying murals and other commemorations to Chavez across its schools. “This review will guide any appropriate next steps, ensuring our actions reflect our values of respect, safety, and care for our students and community,” the district said.

A major agricultural hub in California, Fresno is home to an estimated 71,000 farm workers. The district said it “acknowledges the importance of the farmworker movement in promoting dignity and pride, improving working conditions and wages, and expanding opportunities for generations of families within our community.”

At a press conference in San Lorenzo on Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged how intertwined Chavez’s legacy is with the state’s education system and asked the public to extend grace as communities contemplate renaming schools.

“I think there’s close to three dozen schools in the state named after Cesar Chavez,” he said. “So we’re just going to have to reflect on all of that and, you know, reflect on a farmworkers movement and a labor movement that was much bigger than one man and celebrate that.”

Contact RAINN, which offers free, confidential, 24/7/365 support in English and Spanish at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or text “HOPE” to 64673.