Chavez school founder now backs repeal and renamings amid abuse allegations
Minnesota lawmakers have introduced and are fast‑tracking a bill to repeal Cesar Chavez Day as a state observance following New York Times reporting of sexual‑abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez. Ramona Arreguin de Rosales, co‑founder of Academia Cesar Chavez and a key figure in naming Cesar Chavez Street in St. Paul, publicly backed the repeal and urged renaming the charter school and the street, citing the Times’ reporting and Dolores Huerta’s allegations.
📌 Key Facts
- Minnesota legislative leaders are fast‑tracking repeal of Cesar Chavez Day as a state observance rather than letting the bill sit.
- The repeal and renaming push is explicitly being driven by a recent New York Times investigation alleging abuse by Cesar Chavez, with community leaders also citing allegations from Dolores Huerta.
- Support for repeal is broad and moving with unusual speed compared with typical changes to observance days.
- Ramona Arreguin de Rosales, co‑founder of the Academia Cesar Chavez charter school in St. Paul and a key figure in naming Cesar Chavez Street, now publicly supports repealing Cesar Chavez Day.
- Rosales is actively pushing to rename Academia Cesar Chavez and is urging the City of St. Paul to rename Cesar Chavez Street.
- Referencing the New York Times reporting and Dolores Huerta’s allegations, Rosales said the community must "stand up and do the right thing" in response.
📊 Relevant Data
As of 2024, Minnesota is home to more than 370,000 Hispanic or Latino residents, constituting about 7% of the total population.
Minnesota's Hispanic and Latino communities | MN Compass — MN Compass
In 2021, principal operators of Minnesota farms were 99.16% White, while the state's population was 84.1% White.
Emerging Farmers' Working Group legislative report — Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Cesar Chavez's United Farm Workers union achieved a 40% wage increase for grape harvesters in 1966.
US Farm Labor | The Prosperity Paradox - Oxford Academic — Oxford Academic
Immigrants make up 45% of workers in farming, fishing, and forestry in the US as of 2025.
1.2 million immigrants are gone from the US labor force under Trump — ABC7NY
Wage payments for undocumented farm workers are lower than those for guestworkers or native workers in US agriculture.
Growth in H-2A Workers' Employment in US Agriculture — Choices Magazine
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Ramona Arreguin de Rosales, co‑founder of Academia Cesar Chavez charter school in St. Paul and a key figure in naming Cesar Chavez Street, now publicly supports repealing Cesar Chavez Day.
- Rosales says she is pushing to rename Academia Cesar Chavez and is urging the City of St. Paul to rename Cesar Chavez Street.
- She explicitly references the New York Times reporting and Dolores Huerta’s allegations, saying the community must "stand up and do the right thing" in response.
- Confirms that legislative leaders are fast‑tracking the repeal of Cesar Chavez Day as a state observance rather than letting the bill sit.
- Frames the action explicitly as a direct response to the New York Times’ detailed abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez.
- Highlights that support for repeal is broad and moving with unusual speed compared with typical observance‑day changes.