The Chicano/a Fight for Equality through Education Jynessa Mendoza | CSU Stanislaus Introduction 1968 East Los Angeles “Blowouts” o During the 1960’s there was an emergence of aversion  Chicano/a students v. Los Angeles Unified School towards the inequality that blackened the beauty of America, District erupting the beginning of a movement era. It only made  Sal Castro- teacher leader and key figure in organizing sense that the Mexican-Americans, who had experienced  1967- 36 demands sent to the Board of Education for generations of discrimination and mistreatment, to create educational reform their own call to parity.  Included: o Education was the core to changing the oppression and the instrument to equalization. By identifying the flaws in the oBilingual/ bicultural education, Latino teachers and public academic system, introducing improvements to help administrators, smaller class sizes, better facilities and better their chances at success, and fighting to initiate these the revision of text books to include Mexican American improvements, the Chicano/a generation opened the doors history to possible success and served as a beacon of hope for a oBy adjusting academia to serve the students, rather brighter future. than train them, the school system improves the chances of possible student success  Demands not met– led to the blowouts: March 1, 1968 A Mexican-American’s American Education  By walking out before attendance was taken, the ● Not equivalent to other student’s education students could hit the schools financially ○ Native Spanish speaking students v. an English  Meeting held- Board claimed that could not meet education demands because of finances. ○ Lack of teacher enthusiasm oGradual minimal change to the education ○ Lack of proper resources ● Assimilation to the “American Way” Significance ○ Not educating but training A sufficient education would lead to the prosperity of an ○ Conditioning an oppressed people into conforming into individual, making it at least possible to have a notable the status quo impact on the course of their life.Therefore, it is only fair ○ Those people’s aspirations are limited and thus an that every American student recieves eqaul education. acceptance of low social standing emerges The actions taken by students at this time would play a paramount role in future Mexican-American’s The Chicano/a Generation- 60’s educational success, and thus the success of their lives. ● Generations reflect different states of awareness in concerning their relationship with the larger society References ● An awareness to the benefits education emerged Acuna, Rodolfo. Occupied America: The Chicano’s Struggle ● Education as an insturment to success Toward Liberation. San Francisco: Harper &Row, 1972. ● Started questioning the role in which public education Dela Garza, Rudolph and Garcia, F. Chris. The Chicano played to future success of the community Political Experience. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing, ● Although the chicano generation experienced the highest 1977. Photos graduation ratings compared to preivious Mexican- Top two: Students demonstrate against the lack of Mariscal, George. Brown Eyed Children of the Sun: Lessons American generations, however they had the highest drop- quality education in East Los Angeles schools from the Chicano Movement, 1965-1975. New Mexico: out rate compared to other ethnic groups during this time Bottom: Teacher Sal Castro joining the walkout University of New Mexico Press, 2005. 1968