The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has instructed all public schools across the state to update their lesson plans to exclude references to Cesar Chavez, following recent allegations of sexual abuse against the labor leader.
In an official communication, the TEA mandated that school districts cancel or reallocate scheduled events and activities for Cesar Chavez Day, which falls on March 31. This directive builds on a previous order from Governor Greg Abbott, which urged against the observance of this optional state holiday.
Teachers and labor organizations are grappling with the implications of these allegations, which stem from a New York Times investigation that detailed claims of sexual assault and abuse by Chavez towards women and girls. Chavez, a prominent figure in the civil rights movement, had significant connections to Texas, where he championed the rights of striking farmworkers and led a notable rally at the state Capitol after marching from Rio Grande City to Austin in 1966.
The existing social studies curriculum in Texas requires students to learn about Chavez at various educational levels, including fifth grade and U.S. history classes. However, the TEA has stated that teaching about Chavez would contradict a section of the Texas Education Code that prohibits educators from being compelled to address “widely debated and currently controversial issues of public policy or social affairs.”
The agency’s guidance clarified that failure to meet expectations regarding Chavez’s teachings will not be deemed noncompliance with state educational requirements.
Meanwhile, the Texas State Board of Education is in the process of revising its K-12 social studies curriculum standards to place a stronger emphasis on Texas and U.S. history. A vote on the new standards is expected in June, which is anticipated to eliminate the explicit requirement to teach about Chavez.
In a related move, the Austin school district announced plans to honor Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers alongside Chavez, during the March 31 holiday. Huerta has publicly disclosed that she experienced sexual assault by Chavez but kept it private for six decades, fearing it would adversely affect the farmworker movement.
Additionally, the Houston school district has rebranded the holiday from Cesar Chavez Day to Farmworkers Day and is currently deliberating whether to rename César E. Chávez High School.
