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Parade to celebrate O.C. lawsuit that ended ‘Mexican schools’
October 14th, 2009, 6:00 am · 120 Comments · posted by Gary Robbins, science writer-editor
Sylvia Mendez (left), a plaintiff in the case, and Sandra Robbie (right), who made a documentary about the civil rights story. Image courtesy of Robbie.
Chapman University will hold a small parade tonight to celebrate Mendez v. Westminster, the landmark Orange County lawsuit that helped lead to the desegregation of California schools in in the 1940s. The class action lawsuit was filed by the parents of Hispanic children who claimed that several Orange County school districts forced their children, and others, to go to “Mexican only” schools. The Ninth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals found that such discrimination violated the U.S. Constitution.
Tonight’s public parade — which begins at 6:30 p.m. in front of Reeves Hall — is being held because Santa Ana attorney Federico Castelan Sayre donated an undisclosed sum for a study room in Chapman’s Leatherby Libraries that will commemorate the Mendez case. The room will feature some of the original documents from the lawsuit, which was settled seven years before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown vs. the Board of Education that separate public schools for whites and blacks was unconstitutional. The Chapman room will be formally dedicated after the procession, which will include some members of the plaintiff’s families and the Sayre family.
Stamp commemorating Mendez case.
The Mendez case, named after Gonzalo Mendez, one of the plaintiffs, became the subject of an Emmy Award-winning documentary by Sandra Robbie, who works in Chapman’s College of Educational Studies. The case also received a lot publicity from Sylvia Mendez, who was a third-grader when she was denied the right to attend an all-white school in Westminster in the ’40s. After she became an adult, Sylvia Mendez drove around the country in a bus, visiting schools and discussing the case. The U.S. Postal Service commemorated the lawsuit with a stamp in 2007.
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wow, that was back in the day when us postage actually depicted important subjects. now its the simpsons.
Oh, the good old days! Our kids didn’t have to speak spanish to get an education.
Don’t blame language skills for your laziniess in not getting an education
Couldn’t agree more, Vicky.
Heaven forbid your kids learn a little culture. Jeez.
Why does it have to be a specific culture?
I’m all for learning about culture, but I’m more concerned with children learning how to read, write, and count in school.
Well said Vicky. Not much has changed, you can still find Mexican only schools everywhere!
So 60 years ago Hispanics demanded to be included in the quest for the american dream. Now, it seems to me that it’s not so important. If history gives us nothing else it provides benchmarks to measure progress or lack of it.
Looks like they’ve gone from all Mexican schools to creating all Mexican schools with spanish being the primary language in most schools in Anaheim, Santa Ana, La Habra, and many more school districts. Congratulations on creating diversity.
Great observation.
seconded.
Indeed, how ironic that we celebrate the ending of Mexican schools, yet still live in an area of pretty much Mexican schools once again. In a way, nothing’s changed then huh?
My kid knows how to buenos dias and uno dos tres and he’s only 4. I wonder if I can force the mexicans to have all their classes in Vietnamese in Westminster schools?
Thirded
right on, right on, right on!!!!!!!!
Great point!
yeah, this “victory” sure seems like a trivial when one looks at the state of our county schools today. the parents and teachers all seem to be fighting for the opposite thing: to have completely spanish-speaking schools. someone should ask Mendez about that paradox.
Brainguy: There is not some grassroots movement for Spanish-speaking schools.
Don’t forget the City of Orange in your listing.
i agree Jerry….We make an effort to make sure we are not segregated, but in a way, we still make it that way without sometimes realizing it. Ethnic months dedicated to only that race, or creating spanish speaking classes for kids that only speak spanish when they should be learning english to live here. organizations that only represent one race. I’m hispanic, and i’m in totally disagreement with what goes on.
It seems by some of the comments already posted that such an important event such as discrimination can be easily trivialized. This was a landmark event in the history of this county and the nation that gave hope. Inconsequential comments by emotinally dwarved scoundrels notwithstanding.
BLAH BLAH BLAH
So, insisting on the preservation of the American culture makes one an emotionally dwarved scoundrel? Insisting that Spanish (and all foreign languages) remain a voluntary elective course rather than an alternate curriculum makes one emotionally dwarved?
Well, guess I’ll have to figure out a way to add that to my list of titles then.
Editor’s Note: The racist messages that some people are trying to post are being deleted. Don’t even bother to try. In fact, spend your time reading the actual court ruling. There’s a hotlink in the story.
We’re not talking about the event, that’s a wonderful event, that fact that some things regarding segregation haven’t change is the issue we were discussing. Don’t be so sensitive.
Good to get rid of this. Just like most things in the US this nation progresses and does better learning from mistakes. Unfortunately we are now regressing by taking away the model that worked for Germans, Irish, Pols, Russians, Jews, Romanians etc. and destroying public schools to mostly cater to latinos. You can deny this all you want but you cannot deny the facts and they are there. The biggest loser will be the latinos. The third and fourth generation is regressing and the joke is on them. Si se puede.
PS-Latinos have now created their own segregation. Nice work.
Johnny: The lawsuit is available online. I created a link to it. Latinos did not created segregation. They filed a lawsuit against the whites who created it. Your remarks should an astonishing lack of understanding of history and of racial equality issues.
I was referrering to the ESLing of America and not the specifics of the case. I know and have read the case hence my comment that “I am glad this practice no longer exists”. Latinos are self-segregating like many do today. Stop being so childish.
Johnny—-You are either incredibly ignorant or completely racist…….or both.
I’ve read many of your posts and you are a hypocritical apologists for all that is wrong. Please keep your bleeding heart of my shoes.
Both groups (white and hispanics) are being hypocritical. it definitely goes both ways. It’s no secret that the Latino test scores are near the bottom of the barrel. However, you take the typical American and ask them to speak another language and they have an inquisitive look as if you asked them to cure cancer. But if you meet an average European, Asian or Middle Eastern individual, they know two, three or more languages fluently. Little Johnny can barely speak “American” let alone learn another language. Heaven forbid him gaining a little culture, and I’m talking about speaking French, German, Arabic, Mandarin, etc.
Now we need all English speaking schools.
Any whites left in OC ?
do you only want whites to be in the OC?
If you look at my comment above i agree with most of you on segregation, but some of your comments are now becoming racists.
Make sure we don’t generalize hispanics. Don’t state “all” mexicans etc. because it might be a big surprise but we don’t all feel the same way
By allowing this parade, you most certainly are instigating racial division and tension.
Stop initiating the past and move forward with clarity!
Respondent: Your remark is roughly equal to saying that we shouldn’t celebrate the Fourth of July because it happened in the past.
I agree caseclosed, but could you even imagine the uproar if we insisted their kids had to speak english before they could enter school. Our kids are being held back in classrooms where teachers has to teach in both English and spanish.
i would make sure we don’t generalize, because i’m hispanic and i don’t speak any spanish, so not “all” of us are just crossing the borders.
While they are at it, they can “celebrate” the fact that the news today notes that California ranks at the bottom of the nation in student math scores. Viva!
Gary: Focus on the topic. We’re not talking about math scores. The story is about racial equality in California schools.
Well it is one thing to send all the mexicans to a seperate school because they are not wanted in a white school. It is an entirely different thing to have a school with almost all mexicans because the white kids are being home schooled.
The differance is . . . . .okay, things haven’t changed all that much. Everyone wants their kids to get a better education. Now if we could only agree on what “a better education” means. . .
yep
Looks like some people are afraid that their children might actually “learn” another language. You could go to Europe and it is not common for people to know 2 or three other languages. It’s a shame that there is so much negativity towards Hispanics that people will even prevent their children from speaking the language.
I don;t thinkanyone was saying that english-speakers shouldn’t learn another language. I think what they were saying is that spanish-speakers don’t teach their children english.
You might not believe that either language is more important than the other, and that’s fine, but as a practical matter, english is the language of the land and of world business. It would make sense if the next generation speaks it.
You don’t know what you are talking about.I teach in a large O.C. high school with roughly 40% Hispanic population.Only a small % of those kids have real problems with English.Do you just repeat what others say?
OK then, why are the Spanish speakers so afraid to learn English? such comments tend to make one come off like a hypocrite.
yes, a smart decision. but these days, who really cares. i want to know what our leaders are doing about the negative impact the mexican culture has on our current state. start with the $15 billion/year we spend to support illegal aliens, and, the disgusting rate of gang activity and crime by latinos hitting every city in OC.
Ocvoice doesn’t seem to realize that gang violence if done by all racial and ethnic groups.
Gary doesn’t realize that Santa Ana is 95% hispanic.
I do understand the racial make-up of Santa Ana. It has nothing to do with the essence of Mendez v. Westminster. You need to read the case and get on topic.
Well of course all ethnicities are responsible for gang violence. It is however a FACT that most gang members in the OC are of MEXICAN descent! Don’t believe it? Google Mexican mafia!
Odd, I grew up in Garden Grove with 85% Caucasian back in the 1980’s, and I don’t recall ANY gangs?
I do agree, most ethnic races have gang problems, however, based on the History Channel’s show “Gangland”, Latinos have the MOST gangs (10 to 1), and the MOST violent gangs in the world!
Honestly, I can’t think of a single OCR gang violence article that did NOT include the particular ethnic group in question.
Editor’s Note: Ocvoice remark for being off-topic.
Editor’s remark: Jim’s remark was deleted for being uncivil, incorrect and nothing more than a stereotype.
This is an absolutely ridiculous post. Gang violence is done by all racial groups? Name one all- white gang in OC? A couple of jack-arse wanna-be white supremicist does not a gang make.
NLR,dummy!
correct but if you read the oc register every morning which i hope you do as you work from them, youll notice almost every crime is committed by a latino
English: Your comments are remarkably free of facts.
I don’t know what good that will do. If you look at API test scores by subgroup, Hispanic test score always almost at the bottom.
It seems that some persons cannot or will not differentiate between the newly arrived immigrants who speak little or no English and American citizens who happen to be Hispanic when they make derogatory, broad remarks about Latinos in general, spanish in classrooms, etc. Amazing that some folks here would apparently like to see a return to the ugly time when Hispanics were racially excluded here in California much the way blacks were in the south. Segregated second-rate schools, off-limit public parks, neighborhoods they were banned from entering, stores turning them away, segregated sections of the theater, etc. No more of that narrow-minded garbage for American citizens of any color, walk of life or ethnicity.
Another ridiculous comment. When will yo people face up to the fact that the latino culture in So Cal does not get educated en mass.
Another off-topic comment from an out and out racist.Go to some site where your rants are welcomed.
stop crying son
The heading of the article is very confusing. I thought for the moment we will have at least one blonde child in Anaheim schools from now on. Check out elementary schools in Anaheim, and establish some prize for finding one anglo or jewish or asian pupil. That prize will go unclaimed. Living and working in Anaheim you better speak Spanish, otherwise you’re dying breed. That is the reality, so much for civil rights fights in the past. Congratulations on your achievement! You’re succeeded! What now?
Great…so this is why our schools have dumbed down considerably.
another parade, that’s all we need in central OC. by the way someone look at the various schools in OC, and tell me we don’t have “Mexican” schools anymore.
Mexican’s need to take back California.
and the Indian’s need to take back their land also. Happy Columbus Day what a joke. How did he discover something that was already here.
because it was never colonized before, that was a new thing to celebrate. and hey the world was not flat. previously north america was primarily just populated with “natives” who did not set up a true civilization. debate the merits all you want but it’s certainly more notable than “Harvey Milk Day”.
Your post is so ignorant.Look up some of the great civilizations of the pre-Columbian era before you pop off about natives who did not set up a true civilization.Your ignorance is appalling.Then,to top it off,you slam Harvey Milk to prove you’re a homophobe as well as a racist.
wake up and smell the coffee, mensa
amen
Haven’t they already?
California is just as corrupt as Mexico now, crime and poverty is skyrocketing, and almost everything is displayed in Spanish.
You ARE living in Mexico, Laugh!
How can they do that. They are mostly all poor and live off of public assistance. If they take back California, who will pay for them. I take it you too are among the uneducated ones. I just don’t understand why your culture refuses to be educated.
Mexican’s are taking back CA. It will soon be the third world dump that most of Mexico is. Nice work Mexicans.
Watch your mouth!
indeed
A lot of them still are “Mexican Schools.” At least that’s what they look like.
A ‘white’s only’ school with no mexicans? That’d be as hard for my 13 year old to believe as telling her that Michael Jackson used to be black…..
Ironically, many Spanish speaking immigrants have been trying to reverse the ruling ever sense. Nothing would please many of them more than a bunch of “Spanish Speaking Only” schools here.
Editor’s Note: Bobbyc’s remark is incorrect.
Are you sure? Look up Nativo Lopez’s (President of the Mexican-American Political Association) views on learning English in US schools.
Who cares!
Phillip: Mendez v. Westminster was a landmark case. Countless people care.
laugh - in line with our support of native americans, they should also be granted special protections in mexico where they are oppressed and are objects of blantant discrimination. go figure…
This was a really important legal case and the documentary about it was really well done and very moving and inspiring. Seems a bit odd to have a parade almost 70 years later, I think that is a questionable choice. Small local parades always seem pretty boring to me, maybe because the Rose Parade sets a standard they just can’t compete with. I’d rather see them have some other kind of commemoration but whatever.
Most of the comments on this thread are the typical racist, anti-immigrant stuff that the on-line Register commenters manage to work into any thread. You could post “it’s raining” and they’d find a way to turn it into a rant against immigrants.
While there is a faction of racist that post here the problem is latinos not doing anything about education. Latinos are not getting it done. Blaming everyone else is just another excuse.
all mexican school were common back in the 50 and 60 just look at mcfadden school in la jolla
r strada: That’s right. That’s why the lawsuit was filed.
It is amazing how a story like this, always seems to bring out the cyber-nazies! I am a 5th generation Californian and my grandma was forced to go to such a school (even though she was born in 1906 in what is now Yorba Linda) . She was of Mexican descent but she did speak English, as well as Spanish. I went to college and grad school and the only spanish that I speak is what I learned in my Spanish classes in school.
Fight On!
Your living in the past and the future continues to slip by latinos. Just keep your head in the sand and watch as latinos continue to progress very little. This is not the fault of whites. Asians kick the S out of every other culture and they don’t look white at all. So explain that.
seems to me that those “all(insert PC term)” schools were established to cater to the Mexicans immigrants ,and teach their children At a pace that a non-english speaking student could fully comprehend the cirriculum. but of course someone complained, so their request was once again granted. Either way I seriously doubt that anyone who claims their Grandparents attended “la esquela de toda piesas” were forced to suffer in any way . Quit crying about racism and victimization. it all pales in comparison to the “all Japanese internment camps” where Naturalized and native born Japanese-american citizens Were ALL forced to relinquish their homes and property and businesses. This was Also in the 1940’s (not off-topic,ed.)so this case did nothing to enact any equality .only enabled a minority’s supremacy. which they obviously took for granted. The Harada family of Riverside and their case with the state should also be celebrated. Maybe it would help inspire the generations of mexican-americans to apprieciate and honor what this country has done FOR them .instead of deficating in the Punch-Bowl.
The primary reason California schools are some of the lowest performing in the nation.
hi Gary,
how about you just delete the whole article, so we can stop the racists comments on there. NOw it’s just has gotten all out of control.. i really hope none of your children grow up listening to any of your negativity people!!!!..
If I had stated my comments in Spanish would that make it o.k. with you?
why is discussion of race issues always end up with a bunch of finger pointing , and name calling by those siding with the minority? Lack of any intellectual debate, no suggestion of a solution. Just cry “racism” , and delete the article? sweep the issue under the carpet while you wear that chip on your shoulder as a security blanket. you better just drop the dime and call WHINE-1-1, your case is gonna need a WHAAAAA!mbulance. cry me a river.
The outright ignorance of many here is nauseating. The Mendez family took a stand that was their right as US Citizens. It had nothing to do with speaking English or not. It had to do with pure ethnic bias. Not being able to go to the school down the block and told to go to a school farther away just because of the color of your skin is wrong! I would like to put a ban on the ignorant comments here but just as the Mendez family had rights as US Citizens so do the ignorant people making ignorant comments.
nowadays, many fine Americans can’t send their children to public schools either, which their tax dollars are paying for. the reason being: they’re too dangerous and the kids won’t actually learn anything. sad. sure isn’t anybody looking out for their civil rights…
I, for one, will be attending tonight’s celebration with my family because it was a landmark decision that impacted generations to come…. My grandparents were forced to attend “Mexican” schools in Irvine and Westminster when they were young….And because of the Mendez family’s decision to challenge the status quo, subsequent generations of my family were able to attend the schools of their choice….When my children are old enough to grasp the importance of this feat, I will proudly tell them all about it, so that they, too, can appreciate its significance. Si se puede!
Debbie—-I agree with you.Some of these racist posters should be the ones deported.It is depressing to read their venom come out even on this fine historical story of courage and determination.
Gary—–Thanks for keeping order on this thread by deny ing the haters a forum for their garbage.
Keep apologizing mensarino it is what you do best.
so wheres the Little rock 9 parades? going to school for them was way harder then these people.
Because that took place in Arkansas. Jeeeeeze!
The Mendez was a landmark decision and I am glad that there is not government mandated segregation in schools. Mexicans are not second class citizens and should not be treated that way.
However, the pedulum has now swung entirely too far to the left. Greedy businesses and politicians who want cheap labor and votes from illegal immigrants have ruined our state and its schools. Look at http://www.greatschools.net and view the demographic make up of schools in San Juan Capistrano. See with your own eyes that it is 97% Hispanic and mostly ESL kids. Also, observe how that percentage usually correlates pretty closely with the percentage of students receiving free lunches.
In closing, if our Federal Government would seal and enforce our southern border we could stem the tide of illegal immigration. This would result in a decrease in costs for the State of CA for schools, Section 8 housing, Med i Cal, Social Services, Law Enforcement, Prisons etc. etc. The numbers don’t lie! It is not racist to look at information and interpret it correctly using common sense. People of Mexican descent who are here legally should stay and contribute to our State and not be discriminated against. Those here illegally, should be forced to leave.
That web site has some very sobering info. Wow.
Keep sounding off like a redneck,it’s what you do best, John Boy.
how do you know what he is ive never met any Black/Asian rednecks how do you know his race? maybe hes a concerned Mexican American you dont know? and your a teacher? not sensible lad are we. Hope none of your students sound off to you cause with a temper and gob like yours i think you may hit them.
You are part of the breed who those that card around so much it will no longer mean anything. Whatever your accusations I can say without question that latinos have done more to destroy CA than any other group. How do I know? I have a set of eyes and my experience is not relegated to just the OC. Many parts of LA have been destroyed due to one group. You can say anything you want but you are simply a PC fool.
And you are a proud racist redneck who delights in maligning an entire group.It is difficult to know whether to laugh or cry at your pathetic posts.They are poorly written expressions of hate which could only appeal to the lowest common denominator.
now now son settle down
I am glad I appeal to you.
Correction: throw.
after the Japanese were released from internment camps of WW2, their strong sense of honor and pride made them stop speaking japanese in the home to prove to their mcCarthyist, neighbors who discriminated against them that they were just as much American as them. Put it all behind them and rebuilt all that they lost with their chins up and never played the victim card. Kindergarten should just be used as an evaluation of a kids grasp on the english language, and if that means the whole family must work together to learn english , that would only be benificial. bring them closer together and create upward mobility. they teach spanish in high schools, your kids can learn it then.Unlike the the Japanese Language. I’m a first generation Japanese-american and I cant speak one sentance in japanese , but i can speak spanish . gotta fit in to the neighborhood.
great story. amazing and yet pretty sad.
Gary Robbins should not be in charge of the education site. He is not qualified. If you don’t agree with him, he cuts you off and calls it racism.
A ‘melting pot’ is not diverse. Our founding fathers were much smarter than given credit for.
Reese: I only delete racially-tinged remarks. It is a clear violation of our Comments policy.
I heard that the Mexican students did much worse in the intergrated schools after the change. Does anyone know about this?
Isn’t our country the great American melting pot? Come to America and melt, if you want American to be like the country that you came from then why come here? Diversity is great but don’t come here and try to force the residents to adapt to your way of life. Be an American!!!
Gary,
I would counter with the fact that I stated it was a social observation. I would also point out that many PC apoligists (you may be one) will never have a real conversation about race unless it involves white supremacists, for fear of offending someone. That doesn’t mean what I said is inaccurate. I would also like to point out that your fellow cake eater, Mensarino, called me a “proud racist REDNECK”. The fact that he knows nothing of my ethnic background but feels that it is acceptable to practice his own racism ,”REDNECK” is a racist term for whites, speaks volumes about him. The fact you didn’t comment on that says a lot about you.
The following is an excerpt from a Zogby International poll conducted in Mexico and illustrates my point:
-An overwhelming majority (69 percent) thought that the primary loyalty of Mexican-Americans (Mexico- and U.S.-born) should be to Mexico. Just 20 percent said it should be to the United States. The rest were unsure.