Eugene school board moves to rename César E. Chávez Elementary School

César E. Chávez Elementary School is headed toward a new name, but the deeper issue for Eugene families is how the school should honor its history as it moves forward. The Eugene School District 4J Board voted unanimously June 17 to begin the renaming process at the 4J Education Center, leaving the school without a new name for now but setting up months of community input and review.

The decision came after the board revised its school-naming policy on June 3, creating a more formal path for a change that had been pushed into public view by renewed scrutiny of Chávez. Chávez died in 1993 and has been accused in extensive reporting published in March 2026 of sexually assaulting women and girls. Those allegations prompted calls in Eugene and elsewhere to remove his name from public buildings and schools.

That scrutiny has collided with the school’s own history. When the campus opened in 2004 at 1510 W. 14th Ave., replacing the former Ida Patterson Elementary School, the name was backed by extensive grassroots community support. District leaders said the choice was meant to honor Chávez’s civil-rights legacy and his significance to many families in the community, which is why the renaming carries emotional weight well beyond the schoolhouse walls.

Superintendent Miriam Mickelson and district staff will now build the formal process in the coming months. Mickelson had already recommended moving ahead after staff surveyed current Chávez Elementary families and employees about their views and preferences. The district said the next steps will include gathering community feedback, evaluating naming options and managing the transition for students, staff and families at the K-5 school.

Chávez Elementary now serves 350 students, with 23% of students identified as having disabilities, 17% as English language learners and 11 languages spoken in the building, according to The Oregonian’s school guide. Any new name will touch a school community that is already linguistically and culturally diverse, and the district’s public board meetings normally include a comment period, with written comments also accepted by email.

The June 17 meeting also brought a change in board leadership. Ericka Thessen was elected chair and Maya Rabasa vice chair for the 2026-27 school year, both by unanimous votes. 4J says its seven board members are elected at-large, and the chair and vice chair are chosen before each school year to preside over meetings. For now, the district’s task is to turn a contentious symbolic question into a process families can see, weigh and help shape.