El Paso County's holiday calendar is about to get a very public rewrite. On Monday, the commissioners court is set to vote on a resolution that would strip César Chávez's name from the county's March 31 holiday and rename it "Farmworkers Appreciation Day" as part of a broader overhaul of the county's holiday leave policy. The move follows a wave of national re-evaluations of honors for Chávez after investigative reporting this month. The commissioners court is scheduled to take up the item during its regular March 30 session.
What the commissioners will consider
Precinct 2 Commissioner David Stout brought the resolution forward as item "P" on the March 30 commissioners court agenda. Stout said he was "deeply troubled by the recent allegations and historical accounts of abuse associated with César Chávez," and the measure would revise the county's holiday leave policy to match the new name, according to the El Paso Times. In practical terms, it is a paperwork change; politically, it signals a sharp break with a figure long treated as an untouchable labor icon.
A national reckoning
The New York Times published a multi-year investigation that reporters say uncovered patterns of sexual abuse and harassment tied to Chávez, and that reporting has prompted cities, institutions, and advocacy groups around the country to pause or rename Chávez-related events. The AP has detailed the fallout, including cancelled celebrations and public calls from officials to reconsider honors like holidays, awards, and commemorations. El Paso County's debate drops directly into that national conversation.
Local reaction
El Paso city officials announced on March 18 that the city would observe "Community and Labor Heritage Day" instead of a Chávez-specific commemoration, signaling that local leaders were already looking for a broader way to mark the date. Precinct 1 Commissioner Jackie Butler told the El Paso Times she fully supports the county's push to rename the holiday. If commissioners approve Stout's resolution, March 31 would be formally listed in county policy as "Farmworkers Appreciation Day" - an attempt to keep the focus on labor and agricultural workers while stepping away from a single, now-controversial figure.
What's next
The commissioners court plans to hear the item and vote during its regular session on Monday, March 30; any approved change would alter county administrative calendars and leave rules for employees. County officials did not immediately provide a timeline for when the new name would start appearing on internal calendars and HR documents if the resolution passes, so workers may have to watch the next few pay-period memos to see how quickly the county moves.
