Sal Castro Assassination

773 Words2 Pages

Prior to 1968, Latino people all over the country were being discriminated and mistreated. Students were given horrible education, and the schools’ dropout rates were among the highest in the country, some at well over 50 percent. Many were aware of this, but one man took action that would change Latino history forever. This man was Sal Castro, and his actions during the LA Walkouts made him deserving of the La Raza award because he took huge risks for what he knew was right and he set a great example for other justice-fighting leaders. The first reason why Sal Castro should win the award is because he took huge risks for the advancement of the Latino community. When addressing the unfair conditions at Latino schools, he said, …show more content…

Many of his students, who went on to become very successful people, continue to fight for better Latino rights today. These include; Paula Crisostomo, who became a school administrator, where she continues to fight for reform, Vicky Castro, who was elected to the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, and Carlos Muñoz Jr., who went on to a distinguished teaching and research career at the University of California, Berkeley. Sal Castro’s courage and leadership to the students in the Walkouts provided a spark for other Latino leaders to come, including his very own students. Sal Castro should be given much of the credit for their work as leaders because he is the one that educated them about their unfair treatment. He let them know about how they were not included in the history books, even though they risked their lives in the war too. He taught them the important qualities of nonviolence and patience which they would not have learned without him. Another example of Sal Castro’s lasting influence is his ability to educate kids for the future. After he retired from being a teacher, Sal Castro went around to schools and communities to speak and educate students about the disadvantages of people of color. When he was speaking in 2012, Sal said, “Many of these problems still remain, …show more content…

The amount of danger that he went through for equal treatment and the way that he acted as a role model for later leaders was unbelievable. For generations to come, the Latino race will continue to advance and a rapid pace thanks to the bravery and leadership of Sal Castro. Eventually, all races of minority, not just Latinos, will be given equal opportunities to succeed in school and life, and the wishes that Sal Castro once had will come

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