sa国际传媒官网网页入口

LAS CRUCES 鈥� The home of the Coyotitos will have a new school name effective July 1, after the Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education voted to rebrand C茅sar Ch谩vez Elementary School on Tuesday.

The school board passed over East Mesa and other names before unanimously declaring the school, which teaches pre-kindergarten through second grade, will be known as Desert Bloom Elementary.

The move followed revelations in March that the iconic labor organizer and civil rights leader allegedly raped and assaulted women and underage girls. After a New York Times report identified sexual abuse allegations, New Mexico native Dolores Huerta, who jointly founded the National Farmworkers Association with Ch谩vez, declared that he had coerced her into sex that conceived children who were later raised by other families 鈥� a secret Huerta kept for six decades.

The city of sa国际传媒官网网页入口 swiftly announced plans to rededicate streets, murals and buildings that memorialized Ch谩vez. Santa Fe Public Schools immediately obscured his name from a school marquee.

In Las Cruces, the school board moved more slowly, although a majority indicated from the outset that the name would have to change. A majority of speakers who participated in an April town hall leaned against changing the name. Some expressed lingering resentment over the 2020 rebranding of O帽ate High School, swapping the name of the historic conquistador for Organ Mountain High.

LCPS Superintendent Ignacio Ruiz told the board last month that out of 55 email comments the district had received, 38, or 69%, favored changing the elementary school鈥檚 name.

鈥淥ur priority has been to approach this matter thoughtfully, deliberately and with respect for our community,鈥� Ruiz told the board.

The five-member body unanimously voted to remove Ch谩vez鈥檚 name on April 21.

鈥淕irls who enter 鈥� Las Cruces Public Schools should know that we do not have a school named after a sexual predator,鈥� board member Bob Wofford said.

His colleague, Teresa Tenorio, added: 鈥淭he message is also for little boys as well.鈥�

On Tuesday, district staff presented the board with an informal slate of prospective names developed through discussions among the school鈥檚 students and families, staff and administration 鈥� over 100 people in all. Names making reference to the local landscape and mountain ranges were popular, with Sunset Elementary the top pick among students and families while staff and leadership favored Desert Bloom.

Before approving Desert Bloom as the name on a unanimous vote, Board Secretary Patrick Nolan quickly did research on his mobile phone to confirm the name did not match that of a local cannabis dispensary.

A preliminary analysis Ruiz presented to the board last month put the cost at around $12,000, including changing the school marquee and lettering on the building as well as other items with school branding, submission of the name change to the state Public Education Department and processes within the district.

A ceremony formalizing the new name is planned for July 1 at the school.

Algernon 顿鈥橝尘尘补蝉蝉补 is the Journal鈥檚 southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.