Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared Wednesday that the state wouldn’t observe César Chávez Day on March 31 in response to a bombshell report in the New York Times that accused the late Latino civil-rights leader of grooming and sexually abusing underage girls.
In a tweet, Abbott said he’s directing all Texas state agencies to comply with the ban, and said he will work with state lawmakers in the next legislative session to “remove Cesar Chavez Day from state law altogether.”
“Reports of the horrific and widely acknowledged sexual assault allegations against Cesar Chavez rightfully dismantle the myth of this progressive hero and undermine the narrative that elevated Chavez as a figure worthy of official state celebration,” Abbott said.
Abbott’s order came moments after, San Antonio District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo, along with the support of the AFL-CIO union, on Wednesday filed a memo requesting that the City of San Antonio’s César Chávez Day holiday honor someone else. Her memo also asks for the city’s César E. Chávez Boulevard downtown to be renamed.
“Considering the allegations against Cesar Chavez and the accused abuse of girls, I am requesting that these Listening Sessions be prioritized and scheduled within the Spring of this year,” Castillo wrote in her memo.
Castillo also asked City Staff to explore creating a fund for residents to absorb the financial burden of the street name change. These costs could include changing residents driver’s licenses, business cards or other alterations brought about by the renaming.
Indeed, San Antonio residents made similar complaints in 2011 when Durango Boulevard was renamed after the now-disgraced civil rights icon. That change cost the city $100,000 in signage, and many business owners had to replace stationery and other materials to reflect their new address.
Castillo is the latest local official to call for renaming the downtown thoroughfare. State Rep. Josie Garcia, D-San Antonio, and Poet Laureate Antonio Eddie Vega have also said Chávez’s name should be stripped from the map.
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