Davis elementary school gets new name after controversy over Cesar Chavez legacy
Responding to revelations that sparked a national reassessment of Cesar Chavez’s legacy, the Davis Joint Unified School District board voted Thursday to rename Cesar Chavez Elementary School.
Trustees unanimously selected Monarca Elementary School, embracing a name inspired by the monarch butterfly and its symbolism of resilience, transformation and hope.
The decision came less than three months after The New York Times reported allegations that Chavez sexually abused a teenage girl, among other women, while leading the United Farm Workers movement in Central California. Following the report, district leaders began reviewing whether the school should continue bearing the labor leader’s name.
A district naming committee recommended Monarca Elementary School as its top choice and presented “Si Se Puede Elementary School” as a runner-up during Thursday’s Board of Trustees meeting.
The naming committee chose Monarca because it honors the school’s multicultural identity. The monarch butterfly “symbolizes transformation, growth, and resilience ... it can also represent overcoming challenges and emerging stronger,” according to a committee report.
The alternate recommendation — Si Se Puede, Spanish for “yes, you can” — was intended to honor the farmworker movement Chavez helped lead without tying the school’s identity to a single historical figure.
“This name roots the school in the history of the labor and civil rights movements as well as more recent struggles for justice,” the committee reported. “’Si Se Puede’ connects the school to values of compassion, fairness, and advocacy for others — important lessons for students as future leaders and community members.”
How was the name chosen?
The district formed a naming committee to review policies governing school names and recommend alternatives for trustees and the community to consider.
Under district policy, the board may rename schools through a committee process or by directing the superintendent to develop recommendations. School names may reflect geographic features or locations, or honor deceased historical figures and entities.
The board established the committee in April, appointing three members from each trustee area. Committee members invited community input, encouraged teachers to discuss naming ideas with students and collected 281 suggestions through an online submission process.
After identifying a set of core values and guiding principles, committee members selected their top choices for discussion. Deliberations narrowed the list to 30 finalists before the group settled on two recommendations. The committee ultimately voted 9-6 in favor of Monarca.
Not everyone supported the process.
Some parents said the timeline moved too quickly and limited opportunities for public participation.
Adam Jacob, a Cesar Chavez Elementary School parent, told trustees during public comment that his two children are attached to the school’s wolf mascot and favored Si Se Puede.
Naming committee chair Edgar Wong-Chen, a Cesar Chavez Elementary parent and UC Davis Asian American studies lecturer, acknowledged the challenges of the compressed schedule while presenting the recommendations to trustees.
“It was not easy,” Wong-Chen said. “The timeline was quite fast.”
The board’s unanimous decision
Although trustees praised both recommendations, several expressed personal connections to Si Se Puede.
During the meeting, Trustee Cecilia Escamilla Greenwald became emotional while describing the phrase’s significance in the farmworker movement and its broader message of perseverance.
“In spite of all that, si se puede,” she said. “Yes, it can be done.”
Greenwald said she also appreciated the symbolism behind Monarca.
“It’s hard to choose between the two — and I really am fine with either one — but I think I lean a little towards Si Se Puede Elementary,” she said.
Trustee Elizabeth Moon strongly supported the butterfly-inspired name.
“To me, butterflies represent resiliency, the ability to find hope and joy,” Moon said.
