Chicago's Chavez Elementary to Be Renamed After Abuse Allegations

Neighbors can submit name suggestions as school aims to distance itself from famed activist's history of sexual misconduct.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 9:21pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single, iconic school supply item repeated in a tight grid pattern, conceptually representing the community's input on renaming a Chicago elementary school.As a Chicago school moves to distance itself from Cesar Chavez's legacy, the community weighs in on a new name that reflects its values.Chicago Today

Chicago Public Schools is renaming Cesar E. Chavez Multicultural Academic Center, a Back of the Yards elementary school, after a New York Times investigation revealed multiple women have credibly accused Chavez of grooming, raping, and sexually abusing them. The school is gathering feedback and suggestions from the community for a new name, with the local school council set to vote on the proposed options.

Why it matters

The decision to rename the school comes after parents and students expressed shock and confusion over the allegations against Chavez, a previously revered figure in the farmworkers' rights movement. Keeping his name on the school was seen as sending the wrong message to young people.

The details

The local school council voted on March 25 to start the name change process for the elementary school. Four public meetings were held from March 30 to April 2 to gather feedback on potential new names. The school can be renamed after a place, thing, or person, as long as the person has been deceased for at least six months and is not a religious figure or relative of a school employee or local school council member. Neighbors have until this Friday to submit name suggestions using an online form. Students and staff will then vote on their favorite options before the local school council makes a final decision on the new name.

  • On March 25, the local school council voted to start the name change process.
  • Four public meetings were held from March 30 to April 2 to gather feedback on potential new names.
  • The deadline for neighbors to submit name suggestions is this Friday, April 18, 2026.

The players

Cesar E. Chavez Multicultural Academic Center

A Chicago Public Schools elementary school located in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.

Chicago Public Schools

The school district that oversees Cesar E. Chavez Multicultural Academic Center and is leading the effort to rename the school.

Local School Council

The governing body that voted to start the name change process and will ultimately select the new name for the school.

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What they’re saying

“The school should not be named after someone who abused girls as young as some of the students who walk the school's hallways, and keeping Chavez's name sends the wrong message to young people.”

— Parents and current/former students

What’s next

Once the deadline for name suggestions passes this Friday, students and staff will vote on their favorite options before the local school council makes a final decision on the new name for the school. The council's selected name will then need to be approved by Chicago Public Schools officials, including the school's network chief and the Chicago Board of Education.

The takeaway

This case highlights the difficult decisions schools and communities must make when revered historical figures are later accused of serious misconduct. Renaming the school is an attempt to distance it from Chavez's tarnished legacy and send a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated, even among those previously celebrated as heroes.