The Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to rename César Chávez Elementary to Desert Bloom Elementary.
The renaming process started back in March following sexual assault allegations made against Chávez. During one meeting, Board Secretary Patrick Nolan said he would not feel comfortable keeping the name.
“Keeping this name on there, I mean is contrary to everything that I think we believe and fight for everyday so we cannot do that," Nolan said.
The board was presented with options including Sunset Elementary, East Mesa Elementary, and Organ Mountain Elementary.
Chief of Educational Equity & Support Programs, Dr. Roberto Lozano, and principal Jeannette Covarrubia, used Thought Exchange to gather suggestions and feedback from students and families, staff and school leadership.
Thought Exchange is a survey platform where the school community could suggest names, rate other people's suggestions, and leave comments.
According to the data gathered, about 147 participants suggested names. The highest rated name by families was Sunset Elementary. Staff and school leadership rated the name Desert Bloom Elementary the highest.
Principal Covarrubia said she had two names she liked.
“East Mesa is one of my favorites just because it’s neutral that's where we’re at. You’re looking at the mountains on the east side. And where we are? The east mesa . I really liked Corre Caminos just because we love our Coyotito mascot and we thought it would be super cute to have the roadrunner and coyote together,” Covarrubia said.
The board bounced a couple of suggested name options around during their discussion. Board Secretary Patrick Nolan made a motion to rename the school to East Mesa Elementary, which only he and board member Ed Frank voted in favor of.
Board President Pamela Cort was concerned about the name Desert Bloom initially, due to it possibly being the name of a dispensary. Board Secretary Patrick Nolan clarified it was the name of a dispensary in Tucson and the name of a beauty bar in Las Cruces.
President Cort then made the motion to change it to Desert Bloom Elementary.
"And the Desert Bloom goes with your Coyotito mascot, it'll be beautiful, it reflects your school," Cort said.
Principal Covarrubia said that the school would like to keep the same mascot.
“We are the Coyotito's and we have built such a wonderful culture around our Coyotito community,” Covarrubia said.
Updates and re-branding of the school will happen during the summer. The name will officially be adopted July first, according to Dr. Lozano.
