So much of Cesar Chavez’s legacy has become part of the community fabric across the Bay Area and the state, but now, with that legacy potentially tarnished by troubling allegations of sexual assault, what happens to all places bearing his name? Governor Gavin Newsom said he just learned about t he allegations centering around Cesar Chavez, the long-time civil rights and labor icon who became a revered figure in California history for improving conditions of farm workers. These allegations accuse the labor leader of sexually abusing and raping some of the very women and children he was working alongside. “We’re just going to have to reflect on all of that and a farm worker’s movement and a labor movement that was much bigger than one man, and celebrate that,” Newsom said. Chavez’s legacy has been figuratively and literally cemented in communities across the state; streets, parks, and landmarks throughout California are all named in his honor. A state-wide holiday bearing his name has been the law of the land in California for more than 20 years. The governor said he has yet to decide on whether to push for any name changes. “I’m open, obviously these are brand new conversations,” Newsom said. “We want to have the backs of our victims. But it’s a sensitive, sensitive moment.” Dozens of schools across California currently bear Chavez’s name. While local districts have the power to initiate changes, replacing a school’s name comes at a price, at a time when many districts are already hurting financially. California’s school superintendent called the allegations deeply troubling, and said the state’s Department of Education is now in the process of updating educational resources for teachers across the state, as many prepare to commemorate Cesar Chavez Day, which is now less than two weeks away. The allegations left the governor’s wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, emotional while speaking with her husband at an event in San Leandro, touting the state’s efforts to improve educational opportunities for women. “It’s a lot. It’s like we’re living in really tough times and this war on women isn’t new,” she said. ...read more read less