5. Robstown, Texas – 1972
In April 1972, hundreds of Mexican American students in Robstown (just outside of Corpus Christi) also went on strike. The sources below explain their motives.
The first includes two excerpts from La Lomita de Libertad!, a newspaper created by the students themselves.
The second is an article from the newspaper of record, which includes the students' full list of demands. They mirror those of their counterparts in South Texas, and in Los Angeles four years earlier. For example, they demand an end to physical violence and discrimination from teachers, and they demand library facilities and college preparation courses.
They also demand a more democratic approach to school governance through the formation of a committee of students, parents, and teachers, in addition to administrators.
A) LA LOMITA DE LIBERTAD!, April 1972
“Seniors – Why did you walk-out?
Felipe Hernandez—I belive I haven’t learn anything that would help me find a good job or that has prepared me for college. I want for all the little children to have a better education that I received. I think I have learned more from the professors that have been out here from A&I.
Dalia Sanchez—I really don’t have any problems but I would like to see a change in these shhools because I want my little brothers and sisters to have a better education than I got.
Robert Herrera—I was expelled because of the shots. Since I worked I didn’t have time to go to the clinic and I couldn’t afford to pay a doctor. I went to Mr. Chapman to help me and let me at least take my exams but he wouldn’t even listen to me.
Vera Youngblood—I felt it was about time that the Chicano stood up and fight for what is rightfully his.
Olivia Felan—I feel that the Chicanos have been put down long enough and it’s time that we be heard and treated like human beings.
Lupe Cueva—I feel this right! I have seen the injustice that has happen to other people and I wish to help them.”
Two political cartoons from La Lomita de Libertad! In the first, “Chicanos Have Problems,” a grim reaper labeled “Chicanos” holds a sign reading “Our Problems,” while encompassing the words “poverty,” “unemployed,” “hunger,” and “war.” In the second, “They Want to Eat Us,” a farmer labeled “Chicano” falls from a cliff toward two alligators. One is labeled “Gringos.” The other, “Poverty.” (from the collection of Jonathan Cortez)
B) “STUDENT PROTEST WALKOUT CONTINUES: SECOND PROTEST BEGINS AFTER MONDAY DISPUTE,” ROBSTOWN RECORD, APRIL 13, 1972
A student walkout at Robstown High School, renewed Tuesday after a Monday night meeting broke up in protest, continued this week, but there were signs of efforts to reconcile differences between the students and school authorities.
The protest began last week when more than 100 students walked out of classes and gathered in a big city park across the highway from the high school.
The students, some parents, and other adult leaders of the protest presented their demands to the School Board Monday night during a mass meeting in the high school gym, but the session ended abruptly in another walkout when the students demanded immediate action on their demands.
The students, numbering about 200, left classes again Tuesday morning and again went to the city park and amphitheatre after officials said they could not remain and protest on school grounds.
The walkout continued Tuesday in the park and at noon some of the group carrying protest signs gathered along the highway across from the school urging others to join the walkout.
Several hundred persons attended a rally Tuesday night in the park.
Wednesday, the students, still numbering about 200, returned to the park and some persons from Texas A&I University joined others to teach informal classes in the park.
There were sign efforts being made to work out a compromise in the dispute.
LULAC representatives Tony Bonilla, William Bonilla, and Arnold Gonzalez held a meeting Wednesday night with Supt. W. N. Corder and at least two members of the school board in an attempt to end the walkout.
According to reports, school officials agreed to allow the students back in school without their parents, to form a student-parent-teacher-administrator committee and to open library facilities at night.
This morning, Thursday, student leaders said they are still not satisfied with the school’s position and will remain out “until all 13 demands” are granted. They said nothing in writing had been given to them following the meeting.
At the high school, school officials were busy Wednesday morning talking with students who returned to school following absences Tuesday.
Students were being required to bring their parents and report to the office before being re-admitted to class.
School officials allowed the students who participated in the one-day walkout Wednesday, April 5, to return to class without penalty the next day.
Thursday, April 7, Corder, RHS principal Hoyt Chapman and at least one school trustee held a meeting with some of the students and their parents and a special trustee meeting was scheduled for Monday night of this week in the RHS gym to hear the demands.
About 400 persons attended a mass meeting Monday night when the long list of demands was presented.
During the two and a half hour session, the students and their leaders got to only the third major category of their demands before they walked out in protest. They had demanded immediate action Monday night on some of the demands and the trustees had voted unanimously to take all of the demands under study and promised a report on as many as possible at the next board meeting Tuesday, April 18.
The students were not satisfied with this action and broke up the meeting when the trustees stood by their decision.
A majority of the crowd supported with applause and cheers the student demands, but others appeared to be there in opposition to the students’ position. None of these persons, however, spoke during the meeting.
About a half dozen high school student presented the demands and they were backed up by their parents.
Wednesday afternoon, Corder said, “we would like to see students back in school and if a student has a problem, we will be happy to work with him.”
He said 530 students were absent Tuesday from classes at the high school, but not all were involved directly in the walkout. He estimated about 200 students were actually participating in the walkout activities “on the hill” in the city park.
The balance were out due to fear of side effects of the walkout or other reasons, the superintendent said.
He asked for the help of “concerned parents to see that their children are back in school.”
Corder also said the School Board will continue to investigate the complaints made by students and the matter will be on the agenda for the regular meeting Tuesday night, April 18.
The list of student demands includes a halt to a policy of suspending students for not having state-required inoculations. Statements at the Monday meetings indicated only 15 students were suspended for a few days when they had not received the inoculations after the deadline was extended several times.
The students also asked a halt to the policy of docking two points from semester grades for each unexcused absence. Corder had told the group the practice had been ordered stopped some time ago.
Also in the complaints were physical and verbal abuses of “Chicano” students and several students outlined particular cases to the board.
The trustees agreed to investigate specific cases and report back to the group.
The meeting broke up when the students demanded immediate approval of a request for library facilities two nights per week, adequate supplies of books in all courses, intramural sports competition between classes, “Chicano courses…without restrictions,” 12 days out of the year for field trips and assemblies with Chicano cultural events and speakers.
The trustees said they would study these requests and report back to the group.
It was when the students demanded immediate action that the meeting broke up with a walkout by students and their supporters.
Other demands remained to be discussed when the students walked out. The other demands included bilingual-bicultural programs in elementary grades, policies on student hearings, a student-parent committee, a school holiday on Mexican Independence Day, dismissal of Chapman as high school principal and others…
At the outset of the Monday meeting, board president Alvino Barrera explained guidelines for the session which included an opportunity for the student-parent committee to present their demands. Others, he said, would not be heard.
He said, “this is not a trial. We will listen to your grievances.” However, he said the board would not reach an immediate decision, but would have to investigate and report back.
It was the demand for immediate action which resulted in the row and the end of the meeting.
The student spokesmen in presenting their demands were joined by Mrs. Esther Sepulveda, until the April 1 election a trustee, newly elected city utility trustee Enrique Hernandez and Oscar Trevino, a former RHS student and now a community action program coordinator.
The group threatened to renew the walkout if the items requested under “academic freedom” were not approved Monday night. When the board said they needed time for study, the group walked out and then renewed the walkout from classes Tuesday morning.
City police officers were keeping an eye on protesters, but Police Chief Manuel Diaz said the students could remain in the park as long as no laws were broken.
The student walkout and relative controversy drew extensive coverage for Robstown from news media in the area. It was not known today, Thursday, when or if the student walkout would end.
TEXT OF DEMANDS
(Editor’s Note: The following is the complete text of the list of demands presented to the Robstown School Board Monday night by a group of students and adults. The discussion got to only the third major heading before the students and adults stormed out of the meeting.)
We the Chicano students of Robstown High School regret that initiating the action to walk out of class was the only alternative left for the Chicano students. It is our hope that the problems that have existed through the years be jointly pursued by the SPTA so that solutions can be found. We have compiled this list of demands and grievances in order to initiate this action.
Expulsion and suspension must be changed:
-- A large number of students were suspended for not having received inoculations
-- We demand the immediate halt of all discriminatory practices being enforced by the administration. The docking of 2 points from our final semester grade for every absence or tardiness is just another way to flunk us, and it must stop.
-- Tardiness and absences cannot be corrected by expulsion, suspension, or beatings.
-- Immediate suspension without prior warning or consultation with the students and parents must stop.
Unfair treatment of students must stop:
-- Verbal abuses must stop.
-- Physical abuses must stop.
Students must have academic freedom:
-- One assembly per semester to bring Chicano cultural events, Chicano speakers, and informative educational programs.
-- School must establish intramural programs to give students who are not in organized athletics a chance to also take part in competitive sports.
-- We demand that the use of library facilities be open from 6-10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and provide a center for studying and as a reference and book service center.
-- We demand an adequate supply of books for all courses taught in school.
-- Twelve days out of the year must be used for field trips to different education activities.
We demand a formal Chicano studies program curriculum:
-- We demand our original Chicano courses back and the right to take Chicano courses without any restrictions.
We demand a bilingual and bicultural educational program for the elementary schools.
We demand qualified Chicano counselors that the students can relate to and talk to about academic or personal problems; someone that can encourage the students to get educated and go to college.
We demand that a Student-Parent-Teacher-Administration Committee be established.
-- To provide a greatly needed avenue for communication between the people in the community and the school administration for the joint resolution of the inequities in our educational system.
-- The right to a fair hearing between teachers and students regarding problems without fear of intimidation.
-- Two S.P.TA. conferences per students before suspension or expulsion proceedings can be initiated against the students.
-- That the students that participated in the walk-out have the authority to recommend he Student, Parent, and Teacher membership of the S.P.T.A. Committee
We demand that our parents be given the liberty to attend and visit any classroom at any time without having to obtain formal permission from the school authorities.
-- We demand that May 5th (Mexican Independence Day) be considered a school holiday for the Chicano students.
We demand that Senior Week and the Senior Trip be reinstated as part of the school policy.
We, the Chicano students, demand the immediate resignation of Mr. Chapman (High School Principal) for the following reasons:
-- Administrative incompetence—failure to inform parents promptly about students who were skipping classes and deterioration of the education system.
-- Unfair and discriminatory practices against Chicano students—threatening students, physically abusing students and verbally abusing students.
We demand that the administration take necessary steps to set up a college-prep curriculum whereby the students can take course that will prepare him for the career and college of his choice.
We, the Chicano students who participated in this walk-out want and demand complete amnesty and exemption from academic and personal reprisals due to the walkout.
"Student Picket Line Urges Others to Join Walkout: A line of student picketers, some with signs and others with clenched fists, lined a portion of State Hwy. 44 across from Robstown High School about noon Tuesday urging other students to join their walkout from RHS classes. For the second time in less than a week a group of students walked out of classes Tuesday morning and gathered in protest in the city park across Hwy. 44. Several hundred persons were on hand for a rally in the darkened park Tuesday night." (Robstown Record, April 13, 1972)
SOURCES:
La Lomita de Libertad!, Vol. 1, No. 2, April 1972
“Student Protest Walkout Continues,” Robstown Record, April 13, 1972