New Haven Unified School District is hitting the brakes on the renaming process for Cesar Chavez Middle School.
The renaming process started in April after sexual abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez surfaced in March. The school is one of many that was named after the United Farm Workers Union co-founder.
According to community members at the June 2 school board meeting, the process seems to be rushed and not all community members had the opportunity to participate.
Superintendent John Thompson said they have many cultural resources they can contact to get more community members involved in the process. After discussion with school board members they asked Thompson and district staff to create an extension to the renaming plan and organize a possible town hall in August.
There was a public forum held on May 18 about the renaming of the middle school. A survey was promoted online with a deadline of May 15. School board member Melanie Freeburg said families were too busy with finals, promotions and year end activities to attend that public forum. She also said there are families who don’t respond to emails or mailers being sent to them and requested for more face-to-face events.
About 15 people spoke at the school board meeting to suggest the name Jaswant Singh Khalra, an Indian human rights activist. He is well known by the Sikh community for exposing the extrajudicial killings of Sikhs in the 1980s to early 1990s by Punjab police forces.
A sixth grader at Cesar Chavez Middle School said Khalra was a brave person who stood up for what was right and helped people who didn’t have a voice. “He showed courage and kindness, and I think those are important values for students to learn,” said the student. “This name is also important because it represents many Punjabi students and families in our district.”
Must return to NEW HAVEN MIDDLE. This is the U S. Not India fergodsakes.