Chicano! History of the Chicano! History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Mexican American Civil Rights

MovementMovement

Taking Back the SchoolsTaking Back the Schools

Educational IssuesEducational Issues

Drop out rates, push-outsDrop out rates, push-outsEducational tracking: confining bilingual Educational tracking: confining bilingual

children in vocational educationchildren in vocational educationAdvising: encouraging enrollment in non-Advising: encouraging enrollment in non-

college programscollege programsUse of corporal punishmentUse of corporal punishmentAnti-Mexican attitudes and prejudiceAnti-Mexican attitudes and prejudiceReading and graduation ratesReading and graduation rates

Mendez v. WestminsterMendez v. Westminster 1946 California Supreme Court ruling 1946 California Supreme Court ruling

that outlawed the segregation of that outlawed the segregation of Mexican childrenMexican children

Ruling outlawed practice of Ruling outlawed practice of segregation for “language necessity”segregation for “language necessity”

Also based on the notion of Also based on the notion of Mexicans as members of the Mexicans as members of the caucasion racecaucasion race

1954: Hernandez v. US: Supreme 1954: Hernandez v. US: Supreme Court ruling that Mexicans had been Court ruling that Mexicans had been treated “as a class apart” and entitled treated “as a class apart” and entitled to equal rights protectionsto equal rights protections

East Los Angeles Walk-OutsEast Los Angeles Walk-Outs

March, 1968, student March, 1968, student petitions to improve schools petitions to improve schools ignoredignored

Student stage massive Student stage massive walk-outs, also called the walk-outs, also called the East Los Angeles blow-outsEast Los Angeles blow-outs

12,000 students participate, 12,000 students participate, some arrested for some arrested for disorderly conduct and disorderly conduct and failure to dispersefailure to disperse

The East Los Angeles 13The East Los Angeles 13 13 students and community leaders charged with 13 students and community leaders charged with

“conspiracy to commit misdemeanors” for conspiracy to “conspiracy to commit misdemeanors” for conspiracy to disrupt the schools, elevated the complaint to a felonydisrupt the schools, elevated the complaint to a felony

Faced 66 year prison terms if convictedFaced 66 year prison terms if convicted Included Sal Castro: major supporter of the student walk-Included Sal Castro: major supporter of the student walk-

outsouts Also included: Moctezuma Esparza, Raul Ruiz, Carlos Also included: Moctezuma Esparza, Raul Ruiz, Carlos

Munoz Jr. and 10 othersMunoz Jr. and 10 others Charges dropped on civil rights issues: right to petition Charges dropped on civil rights issues: right to petition

government agencies for grievances, freedom of government agencies for grievances, freedom of assembly and free speechassembly and free speech

Recognized as the first significant urban struggle of the Recognized as the first significant urban struggle of the Chicano MovementChicano Movement