Remembering The Uvalde Public School Walkout of 1970
In Uvalde, the initial issue had to do with the contract non-renewal of a popular Mexican American teacher by the name of Josue “George” Garza. [6] As the walkout became better organized, a list of 14 demands was presented to the school board. These demands included a call for more Mexican American teachers and courses in Chicano history. The all-Anglo school board refused to discuss the demands until all the students returned to school. The students, led by seniors Oscar Castro and Elvia Perez, (The rumor was that Elvia was going to be the valedictorian) held their ground and in a meeting before the school board on April 17th, 1970, told the trustees no – the walkout will continue!
In an attempt to frame the walkout, the school district used the local and regional media to portray it as an attempt by disenfranchised adults to use the students for political gain. Specifically, ridicule was employed to demoralize and humiliate the students. Letters to editor and statements from the school district in English tried to paint a portrait of how the only ones being hurt by the walkout were the students. [9] One letter to the editor in the local newspaper, the Uvalde Leader News, stated how the whole world was laughing at the Mexican American community.
Leading a contingent of about twenty-five (25) Texas Rangers was the infamous Captain Alfred Y. Allee, the head of Company “D” based in Carrizo Springs, Texas. A Texas Ranger since 1933, this was the same Captain Allee who had helped to crush the United Farm Workers melon strike down in the Rio Grande Valley at La Casita Farms in 1967. [12] And it was the same Captain Allee who appeared before the United States Civil Rights Commission in San Antonio in 1968 to answer questions from Commissioners about the beatings he personally administered during an incident in the Valley. [13]
Not only did Captain Allee bring his reputation to Uvalde, he also brought two Department of Public Safety Huey helicopters which were flown at low altitudes over the town. It was also from these helicopters that reconnaissance photos were taken to help law enforcement officials on the ground identify the participants in the walkout. [14] Tony Diaz, a recently returned soldier from Viet Nam, commented that that every time he heard those helicopters, he felt as though he were back in Nam.
Probably the most poignant signal the Texas Rangers delivered with their presence in Uvalde was when they stood on the roof tops of buildings with loaded rifles during school board meetings on Getty Street.
much more....
https://iberoaztlan.com/articles/remembering-the-uvalde-public-school-walkout-of-1970/
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Link to tweet
https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/how-a-school-walkout-in-uvalde-helped-spark-the-1970s-chicano-rights-movement/
Uvalde resident Olga Muñoz Rodriquez protesting discrimination against Mexican Americans in 1970s.
San Antonio and Crystal City are also known for their walkouts. Many towns in South Texas had walkouts.
San Antonio 1968
https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_fit-1240w,f_auto,q_auto:best/newscms/2019_47/3116711/191123-boycott-al-1257.jpg
https://uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/900972658dcbcce6c9ec839a8e72d168/mexican-american-walkouts-tx/index.html
Also very large walkouts were held in Los Angeles and Denver