Ceres Unified renames Cesar Chavez Junior High School. Here’s who’s now honored
After weeks of soliciting public input, Ceres Unified School District has decided to change the name of Cesar Chavez Junior High to Louie Arrollo Junior High.
Arrollo’s contributions to Ceres include being its first Hispanic police officer and previously serving as a high school administrator and two-time mayor.
“We look forward to beginning a new chapter with a name that honors a legacy of service and pride in the Ceres community,” a press release from the district stated.
The decision to rename the junior high comes as schools, parks, streets and other facilities in California named for the labor leader are being reconsidered. The efforts began after allegations surfaced in March that the late labor leader sexually abused two minors and raped his United Farm Workers co-founder, Dolores Huerta.
The district’s trustees were asked to choose between three names drawn from public suggestions: Louie Arrollo Junior High School, José M. Hernández Junior High School and Eastgate Junior High School. Ultimately, they went with the choice that honored one of Ceres’ own.
Arrollo was also a student at Ceres High School. He became a police officer in 1963, retired in 1984 and transitioned to serve on the City Council.
Simultaneously, he taught law enforcement courses at Ceres High School and was an administrator overseeing discipline before retiring from education in 2001. This year, Arrollo was recognized by the Chamber of Commerce as citizen of the year.
Despite the name change, the school colors, logo and the tiger mascot will stay the same.
