Fresno Unified Pulls Out of César Chávez Celebration Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Fresno Unified School District announced Tuesday afternoon it would not send students or staff to the César Chávez celebration scheduled for Wednesday at the Warnors Theatre, joining a cascade of local and national organizations that canceled events within hours of an investigative report alleging the late labor leader engaged in sexual misconduct.

"Fresno Unified will not participate in the César Chávez celebration planned for Wednesday, March 18 at the Warnors Theatre," the district said in a statement. "Due to recent allegations about César Chávez, district officials have determined that students and staff will not be part of the program or the march afterward to the César Chávez Adult Education Center."

The allegations originated in a report published Tuesday morning by the San Antonio Express-News, which alleged Chávez engaged in inappropriate sexual relationships with women and at least one minor. The Express-News cited statements and interviews with a former United Farm Workers insider and a historian who has studied the Hispanic labor movement.

The César Chávez Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to honoring the civil rights leader, called them "disturbing allegations" and said it was "deeply shocked and saddened." The foundation acknowledged that Chávez engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior with women and minors during his time as president of the UFW and said it is working to respond to the allegations and support anyone who may have been harmed.

The United Farm Workers, the union Chávez co-founded in 1966, announced it would not take part in any César Chávez Day activities. "The allegations are serious enough that we feel compelled to take urgent steps," the union said, adding that canceling events would "provide space for people who may have been victimized to find support and to share their stories if that is what they choose." At the same time, the UFW said it has not received any direct reports and does not have firsthand knowledge of the allegations.

The fallout was swift across Fresno. The Latino Educational Issues Roundtable, which organized the now-canceled Warnors Theatre event, announced it would not hold a "Legacy Celebration" honoring Chávez on Wednesday "due to recent allegations and the withdrawal of several key partners." The event had been highly advertised and once appeared on Eventbrite before the listing disappeared Tuesday. Separately, the board of Binational of Central California canceled its annual César Chávez Memorial Breakfast Tuesday afternoon, according to CEO Ricardo Castorena.

The withdrawals carry particular weight in a city where Chávez's image is deeply embedded in public life. Fresno Unified unveiled a massive mural of Chávez just three years ago, and a statue of him stands on the Fresno State campus alongside civil rights icons Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. Engraved on that statue is a line attributed to Chávez: "It is how we use our lives that defines the men we are."

The ripple effects extended well beyond Fresno. The Los Angeles Times reported that celebrations honoring the UFW co-founder have been canceled nationwide. In Texas, civil rights icon Dolores Huerta dropped out of a march honoring Chávez in Corpus Christi, and that march was subsequently canceled. Fresno Unified, the third-largest school district in California, was among dozens of organizations that moved quickly to step back from planned events less than two weeks before César Chávez Day, the state holiday observed on March 31.