In the modern era, the right to protest one’s beliefs is essential to the American citizen, in fact, it is a right established by the First Amendment to Constitution of the United States of America. However, today protest is more correlated with mob violence, but protest is not to be seen as people raiding and pillaging for attention with no logical reason. It is a way for them to speak and be heard, to draw the attention of the media, to be noticed. There are many matters in the current time that have been protested by masses of students and parents who are all affected. The Chicano movement of the 1960s is an example of students protesting for a list of many issues mainly to do with the education system. This movement would essentially be non-violent and change the way that many Mexican Americans saw themselves in society. The youth makes up a majority of protesters, so if they do not speak for themselves and do not make themselves heard it is all for not, therefore students should protest mostly because they are the ones who are going to create a future for themselves.

While many Mexican Americans no longer relate themselves to the Chicano name, to me it gives me a sense of pride that a minority group, highly discriminated was able to protest for reforms in their communities. But what is a Chicano? The term Chicanos was used as a label for sons and daughters of Mexican migrants but was accepted as a symbol of self-determination and ethnic pride in the 60’s. The movement predates back to 1954 with Hernandez v. Texas supreme court case. The supreme court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment (which deals with several aspects of U.S citizenship and the rights of citizens) guaranteed equal protection to all racial groups. It was really in the 60’s and 70’s where it really began to take part. Students played a central role in the Chicano fight for justice. In 1968 protests by Chicano students against unequal conditions in L.A district high schools, an increase on high school dropout rates and a ban on speaking spanish and the curriculum difference between theirs and white students caused students to Walk out. This movement makes me feel proud that students during that time wanted to pursue higher education and had the strength to protest for reform. In 2016 the percentage of Latino dropout rates was at 10%, as compared to the alarming 32% of dropouts in 2000 according to a Pew study. This number makes me very happy because I know that I can continue on to college, and I know that as opposed to back in the 2000 there will be a larger group of Latino students attending college. The thought of not being able to speak Spanish in my own school and having the curriculum at a much lower level than other students is unbelievable to me. So because the students protested the educational reforms were made to the school systems. Because they were noticed and had several walkouts, therefore while it might seem silly for students to protest it is really students who contribute most to these types of protests. It is the youth who is going to try to reform the world for future generations, it is their participation that matters most.

Additionally, the movement did not only bring educational reforms but organizations that protected the civil rights of Hispanics and the Equal Opportunity Act of 1974. The Chicano activist movement brought many academic demands from the students who wanted fair education and Mexican culture will be included in the curriculum. Furthermore not only were reforms made, but the birth of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, formed with the goal of protecting civil rights of Hispanics, along with UMAS, MAYA, and MECHA. MECHA grew rapidly in California, and by 2012 had +500 chapters that were concerned with education, police brutality, etc. If all these reforms were made just because a mass of students protested and stated their absolute NEED for reform how is it that students should not be able to do this. If a student who has experienced many of these oppressive actions why should they not be heard? While it is true that most students are not as well informed as others the intention is still there, so why should they not shared their own opinions as well. If it is that easy for someone to make a statement concerning a large group of people it is in their right to protest. I believe that it is in the best interest of the students, as I have said before the students should be the ones to make reforms to their society, they should participate to form the type of society they want for future generations along with their own.

To conclude, the Chicano movement had many benefitting outcomes for the Hispanic students and reformed the educational system along with the creation of organizations. Chicano art created a sense of unity between the students and the community. Looking at the hispanic community today they are now the largest minority in the U.S., while Hispanics have more political power now than back in the 60’s they face new challenges such as immigration. Student protests are not always irrational, they stand for something greater they represent the desire of the students to create a change in their society. They represent the dreams of a community of people united all working for the same goal, to take that away from them you not only oppress the youth but you provide a motivation for them to protest for their civil rights.