Walkout Page #6

You are risking everything.

I told you to stay away

from these agitators.

Why do you listen

to those people?

They don't care about you.

In a few months,

you graduate...

do whatever you want.

Get married, have babies,

work-- whatever!

Go back to school.

Go back.

- Mr. Castro.

- Yeah?

I don't know

if I can do this.

What?

W-what's the matter?

Principal Ingles said that he

would expel me if I did the walkouts.

What?

He can't do that.

You have every right

to protest.

But what if he can?

What if he could take away

everything that I worked for?

The one thing that

I accomplished in life?

- Oh.

- What would you do?

I can't answer that

for you, I...

- You're my teacher.

- Yeah, you're right, you're right.

Every choice has a set

of consequences, right?

And you're gonna have to live

through those consequences, not me.

Aren't you scared?

Never.

You got fired, right?

From your last job?

For the tortilla movement.

Yeah.

There was no Mexican-Americans

in student council.

So I helped them put together

a political party.

And it was good,

they were good.

They ran a strong

campaign, you know,

and it came down

to the final debate,

and they delivered

their platform in Spanish.

Which follows

which political rule?

- Consolidate your power base.

- That's right.

It was a scene.

You shoulda seen it.

One half was going crazy, the other half

didn't know what the hell was going on,

and the principal comes out

and takes the mic.

He says, "You can't speak

a foreign language in L.A. schools."

Mr. Castro,

you know that.

Did you know the original

California Constitution

was written

in Spanish and English?

They were

both official languages.

But you still got fired.

It was a good lesson.

Kids learned

about politics.

Guess you did too.

Well, that was my choice.

Now you have to

make your choice.

Thank you.

I have been looking

all over for you.

- Wilson walked out.

- What?

I know, I know. They didn't

tell anybody, they just did it.

Come on, we have to

have a meeting.

What's wrong?

You go ahead,

I have work.

Can't you get out of it?

Yeah, but...

I'm not going to.

The schools are supposed

to walk out together.

- Exactly.

- That's the point.

- Right on, Robert.

- Yeah, Robert, what happened?

Were you a part of it?

I didn't tell them to,

they just did it.

We know that. Why?

Principal canceled some play,

actors got all pissed off

and just started yelling,

"Walkout," and they walked out.

- We're gonna get blamed anyway.

- That's a joke.

The other schools

have to go out now.

- Yeah, we're gonna get blamed anyway.

- No, hey. Whoa whoa whoa,

- no no. Hold on, wait a minute.

- No. No more waiting.

- No, we're not ready.

- We don't have a choice.

Wilson jumped the gun.

- We go out tomorrow. Who's with me?

- I'm with you.

Yeah, man, I think

we should go out.

- Hold on.

- Hold it, one at a time, guys.

Okay. Uh... was there

any cameras there?

- No.

- No, no photographers, no reporters?

I don't think so.

- Didn't happen.

- What are you talking about?

- The walkout didn't happen.

- Mr. Castro, we know it happened.

Well, no no no, if the news

wasn't there, then it didn't happen.

Tune in tomorrow, Sal,

'cause we're going out.

You're not ready yet.

You're not organized.

- We're organized.

- How many picket signs do you have?

What do they say?

Who's gonna carry them?

- Hey, Paula.

- And what about the gangs?

We'll be walking

right into their territory.

And what about

after the walkout?

How about the news stations?

Has anybody talked to the news stations?

You talk

to the news stations?

You know what happened

today at Wilson?

Nothing. Whole bunch

of kids got home early.

A bunch of kids stood up

for what they believed in.

Yeah, but everybody

has beliefs.

You want to inspire people

with what you believe,

- you gotta get organized.

- We don't have to listen to this--

- we could blowout tomorrow.

- You have to get organized.

Chavez organized

the farmworkers.

Dr. King organized

the blacks.

- Gandhi, he organized India.

- Also, Che and Zapata.

Yeah, you don't think

they're organized?

You take your time,

you do your work,

you'll inspire people.

How long do you think

it'll take us?

Two years.

No, I'm just...

No no. A week, a week.

It'll take a week.

- Wednesday at the earliest.

- We said tomorrow.

Know what?

Let's put it to a vote.

- Let the kids vote.

- No.

Yes. Sal's right.

They're the ones

with the most to lose.

All those in favor of walking

out tomorrow, please raise your hand.

Wednesday?

All right,

let's get organized.

All right, blowout committee,

Brown Berets, ready?

Ready! Where's Cal State?

- Ready.

- Loyola's ready. What about UCLA?

- Ready!

- Long Beach, USC, Northridge?

All right, Brown Berets,

listen up.

Remember, you keep between

the cops and the kids, you got it?

Passive resistance. If those

pigs try to grab you, go limp.

Make no mistake, mi gente,

la placa knows this is coming.

The LAPD,

the FBI, the CIA,

Sheriffs' Department and everybody

else is gonna be there tomorrow,

so I want the Brown Berets and UMAS,

use your head. Take care of these kids.

If any heads get busted,

make sure it's yours, okay?

I have a question.

What if nobody

walks out?

They'll walk out.

We're gonna walk out.

Tomorrow,

all the schools.

If we back down now...

how are we ever

gonna stand back up again?

Papi's gonna

trip out, huh?

Good?

I hope you know

what you're doing.

It's gonna be okay.

With 52 deaths today,

the total number

of American casualties

in Vietnam now stands

at 23,042.

There is very little hope

for peace on the horizon.

U.S. troops are now bogged

down in a four-year conflict

with no end in sight.

Are you nervous?

Paula?

Did you get to sleep?

No, not really.

Good morning.

Everybody's in a good mood?

- Yeah.

- Good morning.

Walkout.

- Walkout, Garfield.

- Belmont, walkout!

- Roosevelt, walkout!

- Wilson, walkout.

Walkout.

Paula, what are

you doing?

Sorry, Mr. Hurley.

Paula, get back

in your seat, please.

Walkout.

Walkout!

Lincoln, walkout!

- Walkout!

- Paula.

- Where is everybody?

- Be strong, be strong, be strong.

Walkout!

- Walkout!

- All right, let's take attendance.

Walkout!

Rodriguez,

sit back down.

- Rodriguez!

- Walkout!

Walkout!

Come on! Walkout!

- Walkout!

- Walkout!

Roosevelt, walkout!

Roosevelt, walkout!

Wilson, walkout!

- Walkout!

- Let's go, come on!

Walkout! Walkout!

Walkout!

Come on, you guys!

All right,

let's take attendance.

- Chiapa.

- Here.

Walkout! Come on,

you guys, keep it going!

- Viva la raza!

- Viva!

Walkout! Walkout!

Walkout! Walkout!

Come on, you guys!

Walkout!

Walkout!

Other side, other side.

Walkout! Walkout!

Stay on the sidewalk,

stay together, move!

- Chicano!

- Power!

- Yes, it's really happening!

- Yeah!

Hey, keep all these people

on the sidewalk!

Let's go, keep moving!

Off the street!

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