The Eugene School District 4J Board of Directors voted unanimously to move forward with renaming César E. Chávez Elementary School at its June 17 meeting.

A new name has not been chosen for the school. At the board’s direction, Superintendent Miriam Mickelson and her staff will create a process to rename the school in the months ahead, with opportunities for community input. The board on June 3 voted to revise its policy on school naming.

The school at 1510 W. 14^th Ave. was named for César E. Chávez in advance of its opening in 2004, with extensive grassroots community support, to honor the civil rights legacy of Chávez and the importance of that legacy to a large segment of the community. The school was newly built, and replaced the former Ida Patterson Elementary School. Chávez, who died in 1993, has been accused of sexually assaulting women and girls in extensive reporting published in March of 2026. The revelations prompted community calls for the school to be renamed, which has played out in dozens of communities across the country with public facilities named for Chávez. 

Mickelson recommended moving forward with renaming, after staff had surveyed current Chávez Elementary families and staff about their feelings and preferences on the issue. 

Board elects new chair, vice chair

Also during the June 17 meeting, the board elected new leadership for the 2026-27 school year: Ericka Thessen will serve as chair and Maya Rabasa as vice chair, starting July 1. Thessen and Rabasa were chosen by unanimous, 7-0 votes.

The board meets next for an extended planning session on Monday, June 22, at the 4J Ed Center, 200 N. Monroe St. Information about the board and its meetings is available on the 4J website.