Ceres Unified solicits suggestions to change Cesar Chavez Junior High name
After discussions at two Board of Education meetings, Ceres Unified School District is moving forward with a plan to change the name of Cesar Chavez Junior High School.
The district is soliciting name suggestions from the community. They can be submitted at tinyurl.com/cereschavezname.
The decision comes as schools, parks, streets and other monuments in California named for the labor leader are being reconsidered after allegations surfaced in March that the late labor leader sexually abused two minors and raped his United Farm Workers co-founder, Dolores Huerta.
According to a press release from the district, an effort to solicit feedback from the community showed 53% of respondents favored renaming the school, 34% were opposed and 13% were neutral.
The guidelines for community suggestions include names that “honor individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the school district or community” or recognize “the geographic areas in which the school, building, or facility is located.”
The deadline for suggestions is May 27 at 11 a.m. An ad hoc committee will then review the suggestions and narrow them to three choices for the Board of Education to choose from on June 18.
Anyone interested in being a part of the ad hoc committee is asked to call 209-556-1550 by May 21 at 4 p.m.
