César Chávez Middle School in San Bernardino Seeks a New Name

Controversy Leads to Renaming of César Chávez Middle School

In light of recent allegations of sexual abuse against civil rights icon César Chávez, César Chávez Middle School in San Bernardino has swiftly acted to distance itself from the scandal. As of Friday, all signage bearing Chávez’s name has been removed from the campus, which is now temporarily referred to as Middle School 318.

The principal expressed pride in the school’s 21-year connection to the community and its association with Chávez, particularly due to his role in the farmworker movement. However, following the allegations, the school has opted to cover up its murals and erase Chávez’s image from the premises.

MaryRone Goodwin from the San Bernardino County Unified School District explained, "We have a process for naming and renaming schools. (César Chávez Middle School) acted quickly to not erase history, to think of other victims who may be impacted by these issues."

The decision to rename the school was made by the school board in consultation with the superintendent, without input from parents or the broader community. Goodwin noted that while the district intends to involve the community in the renaming process, the financial implications are still being assessed. "Research has to be done to see how much it’s going to cost our district, but we feel comfortable that we can move forward with a new name,” she added.

This incident marks the first instance of a public school in the Inland Empire taking action in response to controversies surrounding its namesake.