Berkeley takes a day off for Cesar Chavez Day, but not Columbus Day

The University of California-Berkeley list of student holidays includes a day off for Cesar Chavez Day. Columbus Day did not make the cut.

The university’s academic calendar reflects that students received a break on March 26 to commemorate the Mexican-American community organizer and activist, but does not list a break to commemorate the Italian explorer’s landfall in the Americas.

In recent years, Columbus has been the subject of increasing ire from left-leaning Americans, with many universities commemorating “Indigenous Peoples Day” on October 12, 2020. In contrast, Chavez is seen by many leftists as a social justice champion; indeed, after his inauguration, President Biden added a bust of Chavez to the Oval Office.

[RELATED: Colleges nix Columbus Day, instead host events for Indigenous Peoples Day]

Administrators at Berkeley were no exception.

As a 2020 press release explained, the school takes Cesar Chavez Day off to honor “the principles of fairness, social justice, and the struggle for equity in the workplace and all of society.”

[RELATED: Berkeley backtracks on closing social justice center amid leftist backlash]

“As we continue to adjust to our new reality created by COVID-19, both with respect to work and our personal lives, it is more important than ever to pause and think about the broader values and personal meaning that this day represents,” continued the press release. “Managers should encourage all employees (unless required to perform emergency services) to take the time to rest, reflect and renew.”

Campus Reform reached out to the University of California-Berkeley for comment; this article will be updated accordingly.

Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @BenZeisloft