Edcouch-Elsa Walkouts (1968)
Edcouch-Elsa Walkouts (1968)
On November 14, 1968, at 10:00 in the morning, nearly 200 Edcouch-Elsa high-school students of Mexican descent walked out of their high-school to boycott their high school, teachers, administration, and the Edcouch-Elsa school board officials. It is significant for its contribution to the Chicano movement and was the first civil rights protest of its kind in the Valley.
Their protest begain the day before with a list of demands and recommendations on behalf of the Mexican and Mexican-American students, who felt they were routinely subjected to systematic segregation, racism, discrimination, and the unfair treatment from high school teachers, counselors, and school administration.
The walkout lasted three days, as students protested for better education, an end to segregation, racism, and discrimination against them. As a result of their protest, many students were expelled or suspended for their participation in the walkout.