On this day, 1 March 1968, Chicane students at the Wilson high School in East Los Angeles walked out on strike in protest at the cancellation of a student play. A few days later, March 6, coordinated student strikes began involving approximately 15,000 students from seven or more different high schools. Their goals were to get more Latine teachers in their schools and to change textbooks so they included Mexican-American history.
Chicane students were not allowed to speak Spanish in class and were often discouraged from applying to college by guidance counsellors and teachers. The dropout rate for Mexican-American students in 1967 was as high as 57.5% in one high school.
Police and school administrators tried to stop the walkout by blocking school doors and arresting many students who tried to peacefully protest, but they were undeterred. Following the walkouts, on March 11, students had a special meeting with the Los Angeles Board of Education, where they listed dozens of demands. The board responded, claiming that though it agreed with the vast majority of the demands, due to lack of funds it was unable to follow through on them.
Even if not entirely successful, the walkouts contributed to bringing together and radicalising working class Chicane youth.
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