Walkout Page #3

There's a lot more!

- Where are we?

- It's a high school. Who needs to go?

I'm going.

Okay, this is the senior court.

You see the stairwell?

- Yeah.

- Okay, there's a water fountain.

Behind the water fountain,

there's a bathroom.

Okay?

Fernie, come with me.

- There you are.

- I'm sorry! I was gonna come down--

No no no.

What are you looking at?

Oh, look at this.

There's so much to learn

we don't find out about.

Our library is sad.

I mean, look--

they have books

in Hebrew.

They have French,

German.

They even

have Spanish.

Look at this, look.

We can't even speak Spanish

in our schools.

I know.

It's not right. I mean, don't people

realize how we're being treated?

Hmm... you should write

an article about it.

What, "A Tale

of Two Schools"?

That's a good title.

Hi, Papi.

Mando Ramos?

I love Mando.

Look at him dance.

He's running away.

Come on.

He's amazing.

He used to be.

Now he don't work for it.

Thinks he knows

everything.

He still wins

on points.

He takes

too many chances.

Guys who take chances...

vas a ver.

Bang!

Get their heads

taken off.

You should have

seen it, Papi.

All we did was drive

across the city

and it was like we were

in a whole new world.

There were kids from all over,

smart kids, Papi.

We heard speeches

and there was a poem,

and we learned all about

our culture.

What culture?

The Chicano culture.

You're not a Chicana.

Of course I am.

I am from

the Philippines.

You're a Chilipina.

Chilipina.

"A Tale of Two Schools.

You're afraid of us,

your own children,

scared that we're gonna

shake things up,

change what

you're holding on to.

But we're beginning to see

what's going on and we don't like it.

We're opening our eyes

and finding our own voices."

"It's not about

swimming pools

and fancy auditoriums.

The Palisades High library

has books in languages

from all over the world.

They honor the cultures

of their students.

In East L.A., the Chicanos aren't

even allowed to speak Spanish.

The Declaration

of Independence

tells us that we are

created equal,

but our schools teach us

that we are not."

Dang, girl,

you can write!

I know.

Risco at "La Raza"

will love this.

- Really?

- Mm-hmm.

This is La Piranya.

That's right, girl. We built

this place ourselves.

There's so many

people in there.

Don't worry. You met a lot

of them up at Malibu.

Yeah.

Chicana,

Chicano headquarter.

Come on.

Paula, Vickie, hi!

Thanks for coming.

- I think you know everyone here.

- Hey, Robert.

- Hey, Paula.

- Hey, Mocte, Tanya.

- Hi.

- Oh-- Tanya.

Tanya Mount.

Roosevelt?

- Hey girl.

- Um, wait, what was your name again?

John Ortiz.

I'm with Garfield.

- Garfield.

- Just like Mita, Mita goes to Garfield.

Yeah, Mita Cuaron.

Hi, Paula.

- Um, and Mickey?

- Mickey Fernandez.

- Beverly Hills High School.

- He wishes.

- And Harry, right?

- Harry Gamboa.

Wow, so we have all five East L.A.

high schools here in one place.

- That could be dangerous.

- Did you guys all read Paula's article?

I read it.

I really liked it, Paula.

- It was really good.

- Great article.

- Impressive.

- East L.A. schools

are more jacked up

than Westside schools.

- That ain't news.

- It is news, Harry. A student wrote it.

The principal should

read the article, actually.

We should get all

our principals to read that.

Principals know

the school's jacked up,

but that's just one student complaining.

It's not going to do anything.

One student might not

change anything,

- but a whole bunch will.

- So what do we do?

How about we get every

high school student to write

an essay about what they

think about schools?

They're not going to write an essay.

They don't even do homework.

This is East L.A. You know what I mean?

Not everybody can write.

We can make it simple.

We can ask the questions ourselves--

come up with a list of questions,

and then kids can answer

them about their schools.

- Like a survey.

- Oh yeah!

Surveys are bullshit.

- Have you got a better idea?

- You want to get people's attention,

get their attention. The Black Panthers

don't take no surveys.

- We're not the Black Panthers, ese.

- Black Panthers?

We're talking about

improving the schools, Carlos.

We're talking about getting

people's attention, que no?

Que si. That's why we're

gonna do it our own way.

- Nonviolently.

- Hey, Vickie, I'm just going to go.

You just got here. Come on,

we're just getting into it.

I have to get home.

I didn't realize what time it is.

- You guys don't know my dad.

- Can I give you a ride?

- You have a car?

- Yeah, I have a car. Come on.

All right, well, it was nice

seeing you guys again.

- Bye.

- Thank you, bye.

- I'm watching you.

- All right, bye.

- Whoo.

- So you think Carlos is serious?

- About what?

- About doing like the Black Panthers,

violence and sh*t.

I don't know.

I-- I don't think so.

I mean I can't take guys too seriously

who wear sunglasses at night.

Neither can I.

Here, I'll get it.

Thanks.

Sorry.

So... why did you join?

- What, the Brown Berets?

- Yeah.

I saw you sign up.

I don't know, I want

to help out the community.

I think we all need

to stick together.

So do I.

Thanks for

taking me home.

Yeah sure.

It's no problem.

Um, look, Paula.

- Yeah?

- Um...

You know, I was

watching you tonight.

When everyone was talking,

you were just listening.

I just wanted to hear

what they had to say.

Yeah--

- Hey, sis!

- What?!

Nothing. Dad's home

from work early.

- Oh my gosh. You didn't tell him--

- Wait--

- No, you've gotta get out of here.

- Wait, Paula-- do you maybe--

- Go go go go!

- want to do something on Friday?

No, go now.

Hey, hey!

- So who's the vato?

- Al, I swear if you say anything--

Papi,

you're home early.

- It's late.

- It's a Saturday night.

- Who brought you home?

- Yeah, tell him who brought you home.

- Wasn't that Vickie's car?

- Who's Vickie?

She's a counselor

I met at camp.

I told you I don't want you

hanging around those people.

You don't even know them.

Vickie goes to college.

- They're agitators!

- Agitators?

You see?

She's agitated!

Mija.

- Who was the boy?

- He was just a friend.

- If you're trying to hide something--

- Mom.

If I was trying to hide, we wouldn't

be parked in front of the house.

- If you get pregnant--

- What?!

Mom, is that what

you think this is about?

I don't know what

this is about.

"Do your parents and counselors

support you in all your ambitions?"

"Do you think you are

going to graduate?"

Pssh.

Chale, hell no.

- Why not?

- "If not, why not?"

I'm serious, Bobby.

"What is the point?"

Hey, I can hear you

in there.

It's a raging river, sir.

All right, come on

out of there now.

Nature's calling, Mr. Hurley,

I have to answer it.

Now you're going to have to

answer to Principal Ingles. Let's go.

What is he supposed to do?

- He's supposed to use the bathroom.

- The bathroom is locked.

Well then, he can wait.

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