Edcouch-Elsa Walkouts of 1968

On November 14, 1968 in Edcouch-Elsa, about 150 to 200 Mexican and Mexican-American Edcouch-Elsa high-school students walked out of their high-school at 10 a.m. to boycott the high school, teachers, administration, and the Edcouch-Elsa school board officials. The reason for the walkout was due to the principal and school board staff not hearing and implementing the list of demands and recommendations the Mexican and Mexican-American students had the day before. Another reason the students walked out and boycotted their school was due to the segregation, racism, discrimination, and the unfair treatment they endured every day from their teachers, counselors, and school administration.

For three days, following the walkout, these students protested for better education, end segregation, racism and discrimination against them, and to receive better treatment from the teachers, counselors, and school administration. After the walkout and protest ended, there were many students who were expelled or suspended that had participated in the walkout and protest. This walkout was the first walkout/protest to ever happen in South Texas. (Deiner, 2008) & (Martinez, 2017)