April 6, 2000
Chavez family & UFW leader join Sen. Polanco to unveil addition to Cesar Chavez holiday bill
Two of Cesar Chavez’s sons, Paul and Fernando Chavez, and his successor as United Farm Workers president, Arturo Rodriguez, joined state Sen. Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) Thursday to announce proposed additions defining the educational component of SB 984, the Polanco- authored bill creating a paid holiday for state workers in honor of the legendary farm labor organizer. UFW President Rodriguez read the following statement on behalf of the Chavez family and the union’s leadership during a conference call with reporters:
The Chavez family and the United Farm Workers have joined Sen. Polanco in asking that the Legislature consider a "Cesar Chavez School Children’s Day of Learning and Service" in addition to the holiday for state workers provided for in SB 984. It would consist of the following.
1. On the first Friday following Cesar’s March 31 birthday, California public schools would have a minimum instruction day with the balance of the day devoted to "service to others" appropriate for different grade levels.
As part of the bill, each class would honor Cesar’s memory by engaging in public service activities during the afternoon appropriate to the age of the students. Examples could range from helping fellow students with their school work and clean-up projects on campuses or in nearby neighborhoods to visiting nursing homes and working in soup kitchens.
2. Each of California’s 8,000 public schools would be required to offer one hour of instruction and celebration appropriate to grade level on the life and work of Cesar Chavez.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction–with direction and approval of the State Board of Education, and in consultation with the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation–would develop a series of model curriculum programs of one hour in length that provide accurate information on Cesar’s life and work.
3. Funding required for this Day of Learning and Service would be a tiny fraction of the cost of a full school holiday. It would only involve very minimal costs for developing and producing materials.
Each school district would receive grants from the Superintendent of Public Instruction to pay for materials. Schools with 500 or fewer students would receive $500–with an additional $1 per pupil going to schools with more than 500 students.
An estimated $6 million would be appropriated for the allocation of grants to local districts. Another $400,000 would go to prepare and distribute the model curriculum programs.
It is our hope that the hundreds of millions of dollars saved by avoiding a paid holiday for all school employees will be used to finance legislation providing badly needed aid to farm workers in areas such as health care, housing, transportation and enforcement of labor standards.
The Cesar Chavez School Children’s Day of Learning and Service would ensure that millions of students–many of them Latinos–learn Cesar’s lessons about social justice, nonviolence and service to others.
Under this proposal, Cesar’s birthday wouldn’t be just another holiday. It would be a living tribute to this great man. It would be what Cesar was all about. He didn’t just talk about helping the poorest and most powerless among us change their lives; he went out and did something about it.
We can’t think of a more meaningful way to honor Cesar Chavez’s legacy for generations to come.
We ask the Legislature and governor to act so SB 984 with these additions can be signed into law before the seventh anniversary of Cesar’s passing on April 23.
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Senator Polanco issued the following statement today:
Working with UFW leadership and Cesar Chavez’s sons Paul and Fernando, we have further defined the educational component of the Cesar Chavez holiday bill which I have authored.
These thoughtful additions offer a living legacy of learning and service in Cesar’s honor.
Not only will young people learn about Cesar’s legacy of non-violence and advocacy and service to others, they will then take that inspiring lesson and apply it in their very own communities.
I can think of no better way to honor the selfless mission of Cesar Chavez than inspiring young people to emulate it.
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