The Texas Education Agency said schools that choose not to teach about Cesar Chavez will not be considered out of compliance with state curriculum standards.
WACO, Texas — The Texas Education Agency is ordering schools across the state to eliminate or modify any lessons that mention Cesar Chavez, following allegations of sexual abuse.
The move follows Governor Greg Abbott’s announcement that Texas will no longer celebrate Cesar Chavez Day. The TEA is now telling schools to cancel or change any events or lessons planned around that date.
What the TEA directive says
Under the current Texas curriculum, Chavez is included in some lessons — particularly in 5th grade and U.S. History courses, but the TEA says schools that choose not to teach about him will not be considered out of compliance with state curriculum standards.
The agency cites new state law, arguing that teachers cannot be forced to teach a widely debated or controversial issue.
The State Board of Education is already in the process of rewriting social studies standards, and Chavez is expected to be removed from the curriculum entirely in the future.
“Disappointment and heartbreak”
Mito Diaz-Espinoza, President and CEO of the Central Texas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said the news of the allegations was “a personal loss and a personal hit” for him, pointing to the art and memorabilia from Chavez’s movement displayed in his own office.
Chavez’s legacy is felt across Texas, including in Waco, where Waco ISD is home to Cesar Chavez Middle School.
“That’s the only school named after a Latino,” Diaz-Espinoza said. “So having that taken away and not replaced by somebody else who is Latino would be a big loss to the community.”
A call for consistency and accountability
While Diaz-Espinoza said he believes honoring the women and victims who came forward against Chavez is appropriate, he stressed that the same standard needs to apply across the board.
“Presidents like Bill Clinton and Donald Trump have been named and even found liable in rape cases,” Diaz-Espinoza said. “Or if we go back in history and we think about founding fathers like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington and things they’ve done. Are we also going to stop those celebrations?”
Diaz-Espinoza also called on the TEA to use the moment as a teaching opportunity rather than simply erasing Chavez from the classroom.
“If we’re going to teach the history, let’s teach the whole history,” Diaz-Espinoza said. “The part that scares me is if we remove Chavez’s name from the curriculum, who’s next? Who’s the next prominent Latino you can think of that you were taught about in school? And chances are it’s nobody.”
LULAC: Focus on the movement, not just the man
National LULAC General Counsel Gloria Leal echoed the call for balance.
“I think we need to treat everyone fairly when they’re naming as well as removing a name, but we should not engage in revisionist history,” Leal said. “We should acknowledge the man and his contributions to the farm worker movement as well as creating the union… however, acknowledging his [sexual abuse and] misconduct, and certainly we do not condone that.”
Leal said the focus should ultimately shift from the individual to the broader cause he helped lead.
“We continue and should focus on the movement, on the contributions of leadership of farm workers towards better working conditions and wages for work,” Leal said. “Maybe we should all think about acknowledging a profession or a movement as opposed to a person.”
How Central Texas school districts are responding
Several Central Texas school districts are now reviewing their instructional materials to comply with the new TEA requirements. Here’s what they told 6 News:
“Waco ISD is aware of the recent reports regarding Cesar Chavez and is monitoring the situation closely. Any formal decisions on school name changes would require official action by the Board of Trustees. At this time, there have been no formal discussions or scheduled agenda items regarding this topic.
In addition, Waco ISD is aware of the TEA’s recent directive to remove Cesar Chavez from the state curriculum. As a district that strictly follows all state educational mandates, we are taking the necessary steps to ensure our instructional materials comply with these new TEA requirements while we continue to evaluate information as it becomes available.”
Temple ISD:
“We will comply with the TEA guidance and I would refer you to this statement from the TEA: Suspension of Instruction and Activities related to Cesar Chavez | Texas Education Agency.”
Belton ISD:
In a message to staff: “Our Teaching & Learning Department will be reviewing instructional materials including our scope and sequence to make required adjustments in alignment with guidance from TEA and provide necessary staff updates. Thank you again for your responsiveness to this guidance.”
In a message to parents: “Yesterday afternoon, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) issued correspondence to all school districts regarding the suspension of instruction and activities related to Cesar Chavez. Our Teaching & Learning Department will be reviewing instructional materials including our scope and sequence to make required adjustments in alignment with the TEA guidance and will provide necessary updates and guidance for teachers. The information released from TEA can be found on the agency’s website.”