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Cesar Chavez Elementary School in Davis was renamed Monarca Elementary School after the Davis Joint Unified School District board voted unanimously Thursday, June 4, 2026, to adopt the new name, citing themes of resilience, transformation and hope.<\/p>\n
Davis Joint Unified School District<\/p>\n
Responding to revelations that sparked a national reassessment of Cesar Chavez\u2019s legacy, the Davis Joint Unified School District board voted Thursday to rename Cesar Chavez Elementary School.<\/p>\n
Trustees unanimously selected Monarca Elementary School, embracing a name inspired by the monarch butterfly and its symbolism of resilience, transformation and hope.<\/p>\n
The decision came less than three months after The New York Times reported allegations that Chavez sexually abused a teenage girl, among other women,<\/a> 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\u2019s name.<\/p>\n A district naming committee recommended Monarca Elementary School as its top choice and presented \u201cSi Se Puede Elementary School\u201d as a runner-up during Thursday\u2019s Board of Trustees meeting.<\/p>\n The naming committee chose Monarca because it honors the school\u2019s multicultural identity. The monarch butterfly \u201csymbolizes transformation, growth, and resilience … it can also represent overcoming challenges and emerging stronger,\u201d according to a committee report.<\/a><\/p>\n The alternate recommendation \u2014 Si Se Puede, Spanish for \u201cyes, you can\u201d \u2014 was intended to honor the farmworker movement Chavez helped lead without tying the school\u2019s identity to a single historical figure.<\/p>\n \u201cThis name roots the school in the history of the labor and civil rights movements as well as more recent struggles for justice,\u201d the committee reported. \u201c\u2019Si Se Puede\u2019 connects the school to values of compassion, fairness, and advocacy for others \u2014 important lessons for students as future leaders and community members.\u201d<\/p>\n How was the name chosen?<\/p>\n The district formed a naming committee to review policies governing school names and recommend alternatives for trustees and the community to consider.<\/p>\n Under district policy, the board may rename schools<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Not everyone supported the process.<\/p>\n Some parents said the timeline moved too quickly and limited opportunities for public participation.<\/p>\n Adam Jacob, a Cesar Chavez Elementary School parent, told trustees during public comment that his two children are attached to the school\u2019s wolf mascot and favored Si Se Puede.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was not easy,\u201d Wong-Chen said. \u201cThe timeline was quite fast.\u201d<\/p>\n The board\u2019s unanimous decision<\/p>\n Although trustees praised both recommendations, several expressed personal connections to Si Se Puede.<\/p>\n During the meeting, Trustee Cecilia Escamilla Greenwald became emotional while describing the phrase\u2019s significance in the farmworker movement and its broader message of perseverance.<\/p>\n \u201cIn spite of all that, si se puede,\u201d she said. \u201cYes, it can be done.\u201d<\/p>\n Greenwald said she also appreciated the symbolism behind Monarca.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard to choose between the two \u2014 and I really am fine with either one \u2014 but I think I lean a little towards Si Se Puede Elementary,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Trustee Elizabeth Moon strongly supported the butterfly-inspired name.<\/p>\n \u201cTo me, butterflies represent resiliency, the ability to find hope and joy,\u201d Moon said.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n
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