LAUSD approves removal of César Chávez name; county supervisors set to vote

SAN FERNANDO, Calif. - The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education has officially approved a historic resolution to distance the district from labor icon César Chávez, even as the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meets Tuesday to consider a parallel motion.

The move follows a harrowing report detailing decades of alleged sexual violence and misconduct by the United Farm Workers (UFW) co-founder.

What we know:

While the LAUSD has already greenlit its changes, the County Board of Supervisors is expected to vote later today on its own proposal. The approved and proposed changes include:

• Holiday Renaming: Immediately renaming the upcoming March 31 holiday to "Farmworkers Day" across district and county calendars.
• Asset Scrubbing: The "name and likeness" of Chávez will be removed from all holiday communications, with celebrations pivoting to themes of labor rights and community service.
• School Renaming: The LAUSD vote triggers an "expedited process" to rename specific facilities, including the César Chávez Learning Academies in San Fernando and César Chávez Elementary School in El Sereno. 
• County-Wide Audit: A separate motion from Supervisors Hilda Solis and Lindsey Horvath—still pending a vote—directs county officials to develop a 21-day plan to identify and rename all parks, streets, and monuments bearing Chávez’s name.

What they're saying:

The shift follows a New York Times investigation featuring accounts from multiple women, including UFW co-founder Dolores Huerta. 

In a statement confirming she was raped by Chávez in 1966, Huerta said, "I had experienced abuse and sexual violence before, and I convinced myself these were incidents that I had to ensure alone and in secret."

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"These allegations are grave and painful, demanding a thorough, transparent, and trauma-informed response. Survivors must be believed, supported, and treated with dignity," a county motion stated in response.

The school district’s resolution, approved earlier this morning, aims to "ensure that future instructional calendars reflect anticipated changes in the state holiday, which could include both the name and designated day."

Timeline:

Last Week: Mayor Karen Bass signs an executive order renaming the city's holiday; The New York Times publishes abuse allegations.

Tuesday Morning: LAUSD Board of Education officially approves the renaming resolution.

Tuesday (Ongoing): LA County Board of Supervisors meets to vote on its own renaming motions.

Within 21 Days: If approved, the County CEO and attorney will report back on a community-driven process for renaming physical assets.

March 31: The holiday will be observed as Farmworkers Day.

What's next:

The County Board of Supervisors meeting is currently underway. A final vote on the county's holiday and asset-renaming plan is expected later this afternoon.

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