Stockton Unified begins discussions on Cesar Chavez High name after sexual assault allegations
It has been nearly a week since a New York Times report detailed allegations that the late Cesar Chavez groomed and sexually assaulted women and girls, with fellow labor leader Dolores Huerta also saying she was forced into sexual encounters.
In the days since, schools and cities across California have begun grappling with how to respond to Chavez's legacy, including in the Central Valley.
The Stockton Unified School District addressed the issue publicly for the first time since the report during its latest board meeting. Board President Sofia Colón read a statement outlining how the district may approach questions surrounding the name of Cesar Chavez High School.
"The allegations are deeply troubling. Should a name change be considered, the district would follow established board policy, which includes forming a citizens advisory committee and holding a public hearing to ensure community members have the opportunity to share perspectives," Colón said.
Colón said they will approach the conversation with care, respect, and a shared commitment to one another, while recognizing the "fight for farm worker rights and the dignity of working families remains vital and must continue with resolve, fairness, and compassion." She added they will take the time to reflect, support each other, and move forward together with care and understanding and that the district remains committed to a transparent and inclusive process.
"It's been a time of just reflecting. I'm a mother. I have daughters and sons, and it was a time of just really trying to reconcile who our heroes are and where do we go from here. So I'm really eager to listen to the community, and that's our plan for no," Colón said.
The issue is also resonating personally for Colón, whose nephew attends the high school.
"One of the things I appreciated is that in his English class, which is an ethnic studies English class, they talked about this," Colón said. "Mr. Khan was able to have the students in circles just to talk about how they're feeling, so it's something definitely we want to hear from all of our students, and as time goes on, they have questions."
Colón was wearing a United Farm Workers shirt during the meeting that featured the phrase "si se puede," which means "yes we can," a popular slogan coined by Huerta in the 1970s. Chavez and Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers in the 1960s.
"I'm repping this shirt because this is my culture, this is my history," Colón said. "So, my step-grandfather came over to this area as a bracero. My mother always reminded us that the farm worker is an important job. It's to be respected. It's one that we want to encourage. No matter where you are in that line of work, it's to be respected, and you can grow from it."
It's something that their neighbors 15-minutes north at San Joaquin Delta College are also going through. The school removed a Cesar Chavez mural inside the library, some smaller pieces around campus, and covered the Chavez ceramic memorial outside of the building, which was requested to be covered and ultimately removed, according to Alex Breitler, San Joaquin Delta College director of marketing and communications. Breitler said their process of removing public art on their campus will go to a Heritage Committee later this week to decide what to do with it.
"It's been a very difficult time, I think, for our college," Breitler said. "I think people here have experienced a wide range of emotions, difficulty comprehending all of this, anger, a lot of different emotions and we've just been trying to tell people that it's okay to be experiencing all these different emotions."
Delta College is referring employees and students to counseling services if they need someone to talk to process the allegations. They also echo the Stockton Unified School District in supporting the farm workers.
"Although potentially removing a piece of art represents a change on our campus, what we've been reminding folks is that some things will not change," Breitler said. "Our values do not change, our commitment to social justice here, our celebration and our support for farm workers and immigrants. Those are things that fundamentally define who we are as Delta College and those values will not change."
Back in Stockton, district officials say any decision on a potential name change will involve public input and take time. As discussions continue, Colón said the focus remains on creating space for dialogue.
The district also noted that even if a renaming effort moves forward, options may be limited — as a Dolores Huerta Elementary School already exists within the district.
Meanwhile, the district's migrant parent advisory committee and language development department are set to host a family conference Saturday at Franklin High School, featuring resources, workshops and student performances.