LAS CRUCES – The Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education has voted unanimously to remove the name of Cesar Chavez from an elementary school in the district, following recent national attention surrounding allegations tied to the civil rights leader’s legacy and weeks of community input on the issue.
During its regular meeting Tuesday evening, the board approved the name change for the elementary school located at 5250 North Holman Road. District leaders said the decision came after a structured public feedback process that included written submissions through the district’s online portal and a special community session held at the campus on April 8.
Superintendent Ignacio Ruiz told board members that a total of 55 public comments were received, with the majority supporting a change to the school’s name. Additional comments were shared in person ahead of the vote Tuesday night.
District officials cited Las Cruces Public Schools policy FFA, which outlines the procedures for naming or renaming school facilities. The policy emphasizes an open selection process and notes that while community preferences are considered, the final decision rests with the majority vote of the Board of Education.
Following the vote, district staff presented a timeline outlining the next steps in the renaming process. Beginning immediately, feedback will be gathered from students, families, and staff. Each classroom at the school will select one suggested name based on the collected input, after which school staff will narrow the list to the top five recommendations.
Those proposed names are scheduled to be presented to the Board of Education during its regularly scheduled meeting on May 19. If approved, the district will begin the official rebranding process on May 20, with the new school name set to take effect July 1, 2026.
By John Krehbiel – Bravo Mic Communications LLC
john@bravomic.com
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