Blowout! Sal Castro and the Chicano Struggle for Educational Justice

by Mario T. García, Sal Castro

In March 1968, thousands of Chicano students walked out of their East Los Angeles high schools and middle schools to protest decades of inferior and discriminatory education in the so-called "Mexican Schools." During these historic walkouts, or "blowouts," the students were led by Sal Castro, a courageous and charismatic Mexican American teacher who encouraged the students to make their grievances public after school administrators and school board members failed to listen to them. The resulting blowouts sparked the beginning of the urban Chicano Movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the largest and most widespread civil rights protests by Mexican Americans in U.S. history.

This fascinating testimonio , or oral history, transcribed and presented in Castro's voice by historian Mario T. Garcia, is a compelling, highly readable narrative of a young boy growing up in Los Angeles who made history by his leadership in the blowouts and in his career as a dedicated and committed teacher. Blowout! fills a major void in the history of the civil rights and Chicano movements of the 1960s, particularly the struggle for educational justice.

Genres: History, Education, Biography, Academic, Social Justice

384 pages, Hardcover

First published March 21, 2011

Reviews

[Itzel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
For the fact that it was interesting to learn about, and see what Mexican-Americans went through, and how some of it is still in our present day.
Only 3.5 cause I didn’t read this of my own will, it was for a class. Still interesting to see. Kind of sad at times. It really sucks, and seeing some of the things about education and how a lot of my own family was deprived of that (although it was cause they didn’t pursue it in Mexico, not because of what the U.S. did in terms of trying to prevent people from further educating themselves), was really interesting.

[Craig Werner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valuable oral history of one of the under-remembered events of the Sixties, a key moment in both the Chicano Movement and in the assertion of student power in the schools.

[Mario Olgin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joint collaboration between Mario T. Garcia and self proclaimed socialist Sal Castro. The majority of the book is written through the voice of Castro as Garcia writes from his countless interviews with Castro.

An important book chronicling the student blowouts in Los Angeles during the 1968 school year. Castro orchestrated the walkouts that led to Los Angeles School District conceding certain demands of the Chicano students, and thrusting Castro into the national spotlight.

The blowouts were an important piece of the Chicano Movement of the late 60s and early 70s.

The manuscript is well written by Garcia, but at times the events seem to be exaggerated, despite the questioned bloated narratives, the book is a great read and primary source for anyone interested in the student walkouts of Los Angeles High Schools in 1968.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is written jointly between Garcia & Castro, which adds credibility, but also (to a degree) rings of dis-ingenuity -- I'm left wondering what Castro's life looked like when it wasn't filtered as much -- if, for instance, he didn't approve everything or if we heard some of the stories of the affected students.

That being said, this book inspires activism, and inspires creative thinking about how to make the changes you might want to see in the world (or at least that's how it worked for me). It opened my eyes to the LA walkouts, which I didn't know much about and to the way I saw students treated in school--though I wasn't aware of it when I was in high school, watching these same sort of things occur.

[Selma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so good! I couldn't put it down. The narrative is easy to follow and you feel that Sal Castro could be talking to you. I think it's essential for people to get a better understanding of a seriously overlooked movement in civil rights. Chicanismo deserves better recognition and this book really does it justice.

[Litzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very interesting, i really enjoy the fact that it didnt feel journalistic or school-ish (even though it is) and its just Sal Castro telling us his experience with social and racial injustices in Los Angeles. Must read for people who dont know about the Chicanx struggle for an equitable education.

[Dorothy Timm · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK for someone interested in Mexican education and California

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw and rough around the edges. Just like I expected and wanted.