Rally caps push to name school for Cesar Chavez.

Byline: Anne Williams The Register-Guard

Hoping to sway a school board viewed by some in the crowd as dismissive and insensitive, advocates of the name Cesar Chavez for one of Eugene's two new elementary schools held a spirited rally outside district offices Friday.

Wearing bright red arm bands and red bandanas, the many Latino youths there were the focal point of the midafternoon rally, which drew close to 150 people of all ages and colors.

David Piercy, a retired district administrator, nodded toward them before the rally.

"It's time to honor our Latino youth," said Piercy, who was there with his wife, mayoral candidate Kitty Piercy. "Look at them all. I believe now they are the largest minority enrollment in the district, and it's a group of people that are sometimes alienated from schools. I think it's important to honor them."

Cinthya Martinez, a sophomore at Churchill High School, said the name would speak volumes to the Latino children of her generation and those that will follow.

"It will really mean something to us and it will give us a label here in Eugene," she said.

The hourlong event capped a tense week in the lobbying effort, which began earlier this year as a polite suggestion from the Jefferson Middle School Latino youth club and quickly gathered momentum.

In a work session Monday, a majority of school board members said they were leaning in favor of other names. The board will vote Wednesday.

Latino advocates who attended that work session left surprised and angry. They felt some board members dismissed the strong support voiced for the name, and revealed their ignorance about Cesar Chavez, the Mexican-American labor organizer who led the fight for migrant farm workers rights.

Speakers at Friday's rally repeatedly alluded to the meeting. Kitty Piercy noted that the board did its best to seek community input, publicizing the process and holding two hearings - both of which were dominated by advocates for naming the new "Southside" elementary after Chavez.

"What part of that didn't they get?" she said to roars of appreciation.

Several speakers noted that Chavez's legacy does not belong only to Latinos.

"Whether there is one Latino in Eugene or 100,000 Latinos in Eugene, he was a man who deserves this honor," said Johnny Lake of the Oregon Commission on Black Affairs.

Gina Bauer, a fifth-grader at Magnet Arts Elementary, shared her research on Chavez with the crowd, talking about his many achievements in protecting farm workers' rights and safety.

"Don't be mean," she said, referring to the school board. "Do the right thing."

Several Native Americans attended, in part to clear up impressions left with the school board by a letter from Joe Brainard, parent committee chairman of the NATIVES Indian Education program. In the letter, Brainard asked the school board to select a name that is neutral in regard to culture, race, gender and ethnicity.

"I support any movement that recognizes that we are a pluralized community," said Dwight Souers, a retired teacher and member of the Cheyenne River/Lakota tribe.

No board members attended the rally, but in an interview earlier in the day board Chairwoman Beth Gerot said she's disappointed that the discussion has become so rancorous. She was particularly disturbed by an e-mail alert for the rally sent out to numerous groups, saying it was "glaringly clear" the board "does not see the value in naming the school Cesar Chavez. ..."

"I'm real worried that the message that some of the adults are sending is that '(board members) are being disrespectful of you,' and that is not the intent of the board," Gerot said. "I think that the message that our community needs to hear is that we are listening, we appreciate the thoughtful input we have been getting from our community, we appreciate the input and we're trying to make the best decision. It's not helpful when people tell us that we are being racist, that we are not caring about our community. That's not who we are."

But several people at the rally questioned how deep the board's commitment to diversity really is.

"It's time that they really walked the talk," said Javier Ayala of the group Educacion y Justicia.

Organizers of the rally plan a march and second rally outside district offices before Wednesday's 7 p.m. board meeting. The board will also decide that night on a name for the "Northside" elementary. The majority of testimony for that school has favored naming it for Bertha Holt, the beloved founder of Eugene-based Holt International Children's Services.

CAPTION(S):

Ema Perez-Samano (left) and Connie Mesquita, both in red tops, demonstrate in support of naming one of Eugene's new elementary schools after the late Cesar Chavez.