La Raza Unida: The East Los Angeles Latino Student Walkout, 1968

American classrooms during the 1960s were shaped in a manner that excluded any race other than white. The curriculum being taught was directly linked to American history and excluded all other races. Teachers were taught that is was okay to discriminate against non white races. Latino students were forbidden to speak Spanish in class and during lunchtime Latino students were not allowed to go to the restroom.

Imagine having a dream to work in a medical profession or a position that holds power, only to be told by a teacher that they can only take certain classes and that there life is already determined for them. “Chicano students were steered toward menial labor and away from college by counselors and school officials”, all this would build up in the minds of the young and lead student to eventually drop out.

Latino parents, students, and teachers were fed up with how the school system was stacking everything against their race; conferences were held to discuss the issue. One key figure that was about to ignite a fire was Sal Castro

The Beginning

Sal Castro, being a latino teacher, knew first hand what student would go through, frustrated by what was happening, he actively went to conferences and groups that would discuss the problems that were going on. Sal Castro led the first Chicano Youth Leadership Conference at Camp Hess in Malibu. In 1963 the group began to draft the plan for the walkout. After 6 months the walkout was planned and was to take place March 6, 1968 at 10 a.m.

During The Walkouts

Gaining the support of East L.A. students was not to hard especially since on March 1st student grew anxious and at Wilson High School latino students walked out. The walkout held no effect and caused cancellation of a school play.

However, the schools effort to put down the students by cancelling a play did not show to be effective.

March 6, About 15,000 students walked out of their classrooms from Woodrow Wilson, Garfield, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Belmont, Venice and Jefferson High Schools.

The protest would turn violent due to police officers trying to stop protesters. Officers would club students trying to protest in response students sometimes resorted to throwing Coca-Cola bottles at officers.

Sal Castro

The walkouts lasted about a week and on March 11 students, teachers, and parents held a conference. During the conferences college students decided it was time to speak out. College students seeked the help of Sal Castro to write demands to the board of education.

On March 28 these demands were read at a community meeting with the LA Board of Education. Some of the demands included some of the following, “VIII. Entrances to all buildings and restrooms should be accessible to all students during schools hours.” and “. No student or teacher will be reprimanded or suspended for participating in any efforts…”

-Full list of demands:http://latinopia.com/latino-history/ela-high-school-walk-out-demands/

The board claimed to the protesters that there simply was not enough money to fulfill all of the demands presented b y the students. In response the students walked out of the meeting.

Public Reaction

Police and the school board were irritated by the protesters and wanted whoever they believed to be in charge locked away. On March 31, 13 protesters, who were later known as the East LA 13, were arrested for “conspiracy to disturb the peace”. Once protesters heard of what had happened, immediately community members gathered outside the Hall of Justice in Downtown LA and began to protest for the release of the East LA 13. The police released 12 out of 13 protesters. Sal Castro due to having the most charges was kept in jail. Again a fire was ignited and people demanded he be set free. Sal Castro was released on bail, however, he lost his job as a social studies teacher. People were furious at this and demanded he gain his job back. Protesters held sit-ins at the LA School Board office. The protesters (about 35) sat in until Castro was granted his job back. The board came together to decide on October 2 that Castro was to be granted his position back.The 35 protesters were arrested the same day.

Sit-ins

Effect

Some of the demands were not met by the school board and it took time for any real change to happen. “Los Angeles schools started to see more Mexican-American administrators, more bilingual educators, and, eventually, superintendents. The 1970s saw significant increases in the number of Latinos attending colleges and universities across the nation.”The dropout rate for Latinos decreased as well.

Today there are key figures such as Antonio Villaraigosa who was involved in the walkouts that holds a prominent position and inspires latinos to achieve high positions.

50 Years Later:

Today students are still voicing their opinions. Students all over the world are frustrated with the lives they have to live. Fear, fear of a school shooting happening. That is why on

March 24, 2018 student walked out of classrooms for 17 minutes for the 17 lives lost during a recent school shooting. This walkout was nationwide, this walkout even took place in the school we attend. We got up and walked out to protest a safe school and to demand that our voices be heard. To denounce those who value a weapon of mass destruction over the lives of the innocent.

Students are still making an impact in society 50 years later. Due to student protesting, some gun owners have changed their opinion and some have even given up their guns. Political figures are starting to listen to these students. Eventually students will lead a great change.

Citation:

“East Los Angeles Students Walkout for Educational Reform (East L.A. Blowouts), 1968.”Global Nonviolent Action Database, nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/east-los-angeles-students-walkout-educational-reform-east-la-blowouts-1968.

Tenopia, Tia, and Breht Burri. “Home.” Latinopiacom, 6 Mar. 2010, latinopia.com/latino-history/ela-high-school-walk-out-demands/.

“THE WALKOUT - HOW A STUDENT MOVEMENT IN 1968 CHANGED SCHOOLS FOREVER (PART 1 OF 3).” United Way of Greater Los Angeles, 21 Mar. 2018, www.unitedwayla.org/en/news-resources/blog/1968Walkouts/.

Valadez, Micaela. “What Is the Significance of the 1968 East L.A. Walkouts?”Dailyhistory.org, dailyhistory.org/What_is_the_significance_of_the_1968_East_L.A._Walkouts%3.

“Walkout: The True Story of the Historic 1968 Chicano Student Walkout in East L.A.”Democracy Now!, www.democracynow.org/2006/3/29/walkout_the_true_story_of_the.