Houston ISD Renames César Chávez Holiday "Farmworkers Day" Amid Abuse Allegations

Houston Independent School District redesignated a student and staff holiday honoring César Chávez as Farmworkers Day, following sexual assault allegations against the late labor icon. The HISD Board of Managers made the announcement at its Thursday evening board meeting, with the holiday on March 30, 2026 now designated Farmworkers Day.

The board opened its meeting by addressing reporting by The New York Times, which alleges that Chávez sexually assaulted two girls when they were minors. The Times also spoke with two women who alleged that Chávez sexually abused them in the 1970s when they were girls and he was in his 40s; one of the women, Debra Rojas, told the outlet that Chávez first touched her inappropriately when she was 12, and the other, Ana Murguia, alleged that Chávez began abusing her when she was 13.

HISD's statement read: "Houston ISD is aware of the recent allegations involving César Chávez. The District recognizes that allegations of this nature can be deeply painful for victims and survivors, and we are mindful of that impact."

Board member Angela Lemond Flowers said: "With respect to all those impacted by this information, we have time to engage in a thoughtful and timely process, inclusive of our HISD community family and we look forward to an engaging process. We will share some more information in the coming weeks."

HISD, which previously called its student holiday "Chávez-Huerta Day," joined organizations across the state and nation in canceling events that honored the late Latino labor activist. The holiday's prior name carried particular significance: Dolores Huerta, the 95-year-old UFW co-founder who shared the holiday's name with Chávez, disclosed in a statement released Wednesday that she, too, was among his victims. Huerta said she stayed silent for 60 years out of concern that her words would hurt the farmworker movement, and described two sexual encounters with Chávez, one where she was "manipulated and pressured" and another where she was "forced against my will."

"César's actions do not diminish the permanent improvements achieved for farmworkers with the help of thousands of people," Huerta said in her statement. "We must continue to engage and support our community, which needs advocacy and activism now more than ever."

Chávez's family said in a statement that they are devastated by the news and "wish peace and healing to the survivors and commend their courage to come forward," adding: "We carry our own memories of the person we knew. Someone whose life included work and contributions that matter deeply to many people."

The question of what comes next for César Chávez High School in southeast Houston adds another layer of local complexity. The school's student population last year was nearly 88% Hispanic, and it serves approximately 1,800 students after opening in the summer of 2000. The district addressed the potential renaming of Chávez High School, saying it would follow an established process that includes input from HISD families: "Any recommendations for renaming, as well as changes to next year's academic calendar, will be brought before the Board," with more information to follow in coming weeks.

Houston's annual march honoring Chávez was canceled on Wednesday, according to one of the event's organizers, Arturo Eureste. Several César Chávez celebrations in San Francisco, Texas and in his home state of Arizona were also canceled at the request of the César Chávez Foundation.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said César Chávez Day would not be observed this year by any state agency and that he plans to work with the Legislature to remove it as a state holiday. Abbott directed all Texas state agency heads to comply, stating: "The state of Texas will not observe the Cesar Chavez Day holiday. I am directing all Texas state agency heads to comply. In the upcoming legislative session, I will work with Texas lawmakers to remove Cesar Chavez Day from state law altogether."

César Chávez Day is a U.S. federal commemorative holiday, proclaimed by President Barack Obama in 2014. Texas has observed it for more than 25 years. According to the AFL-CIO, Chávez and Huerta helped establish the National Farm Workers Association, advocating for farmworkers to have a minimum wage, unemployment insurance, and a life insurance plan; Chávez also led a 340-mile march and a 25-day hunger strike in support of the boycott of California grapes, and the NFWA later became the United Farm Workers, which Chávez and Huerta led for over 30 years.

The HISD board's decision to rename the holiday while keeping students' day off intact reflects the district's attempt to preserve a measure of labor history while separating the movement from the man. Whether César Chávez High School will follow the holiday's lead remains an open question the board has promised to answer in the weeks ahead.