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Trustees adopt policy to allow school renaming but say community input must guide any change
Summary
The Southern Independent School District Board of Trustees voted 5-1 to revise policy CW to permit renaming existing facilities under the same criteria used for naming new facilities; trustees and public commenters said any actual renaming (including proposals tied to Cesar Chavez) must follow community-driven outreach and future board action.
The Southern Independent School District Board of Trustees on a 5-1 vote adopted revisions to local policy CW to permit renaming existing district facilities under the same criteria used for naming new facilities.
The vote, moved by Trustee Cruz Ochoa and seconded by Trustee Henry Rivera, does not rename any school. Instead, trustees said the change merely opens a procedural path for future renaming and requires community engagement before any final decision.
Why it matters: public commenters and several trustees tied the policy discussion to recent allegations about Cesar Chavez and urged that a campus name change should not be handled hastily. "If we're going to make a decision of this magnitude, the Ysleta Teachers Association believes the district should follow a deliberate, inclusive process," said Jeff Senor, president of the Ysleta Teachers Association, during public comment. "We are asking the board to lead with process, not pressure."
Trustee Shane Haggerty, who urged caution, said the naming of the Cesar Chavez Academy reflects the Lower Valley's history and should involve town halls and input from campus families and alumni. "The name on the building isn't just honoring a man, it's honoring our community's history," Haggerty said, adding that allegations deserve serious consideration but should not automatically erase contributions without community discussion.
Board counsel Priscilla Mata told trustees that the item before them was only a policy change to allow renaming; any specific renaming would require a separate agenda item, public notice and community input. Several trustees emphasized they plan to host or coordinate community meetings with city representatives to gather local views before placing any renaming proposal on an agenda.
Votes at a glance: the motion to adopt revisions to policy CW passed 5-1 (motion: Trustee Ochoa; second: Trustee Rivera). The board did not take action to rename any facility at the meeting.
Next steps: trustees said they expect to schedule community outreach and, if warranted, bring a specific renaming proposal to a future meeting for formal action.
