The Following Are Two Articles That I Wrote For The School Newspaper And I Got In Trouble For Writing Them:
Historically, Chicanos have preformed manual labor while experiencing racism and violence from Anglo Americans. In the early twentieth century many Mexican nationals were recruited to come to El Norte and work on railroads and in the developing industires of the mid-west and the east. Later they worked in meat-packing houses, steel mills, tanneries, and cement plants in a number of Unites States cities. Chicanos were able to come to work in the United States thanks to programs such as the Bracero Program. The Bracero Program, which lasted from 1942 to 1964, allowed Mexican nationals to come into the Unied States for seasonal agricultural work at low pay. Then when the agricultural season was over, they were sent back to Mexico. On the other hand, when Mexicans ventured outside their enclaves, they were met with open discrimination in restaurants, barber shops, churches, and in their search for housing and employment. Mexicans also faced violence when the Zoot Suit Riots occured in June 1943 and during Operation Wetback in 1954. Today there still is racism towards Chicanos. Many people still have negative sterotypes about us. It is time for all of this to change.
Calexico High School has a population of about 90% Mexican American students. Since most of the students at CHS are Mexican Amreicans, the teachers should be teaching their students more about Mexican culture and Mexican history once in a while. Some of the teachers at CHS won't even talk to us about the Mexican culture and history, which is wrong. We should get a chance to learn more about ourselves and our people. Teachers want us to learn about US history only because we live in the United States and because they think it's going to help us succeed in life. But they never mention to s how this once property of the Indians, then it belonged to the Mexicans, then the Americans took it from the Mexicans. Another noticeable thing is that the ASB representatives are mostly Asian American students. It's sad to see how we, as Mexican Americans, have adapted to see the ASB run by Asian American Students. It's not that we have anything against Asian American students, but it's time for us to try out for ASB to see what happens. Having Chicanos as ASB representatives would be easier because we would relate, talk to, and know what other students want since most of us are Mexican American. It's also sad to see that other people have a certain stereotype about Mexican Americans. They think of us in a negative way, and they classify Asian Americans as the more dilligent group. We are all the same, and we should all be treated equally. CHS has had a class by the name of Chicano Studies since last year now. Mr Reyes teaches this class. This class is made to help us learn more about our culture, history, people, etc. What isn't fair is that the class is only given during 3rd period. Chicano Studies should be like the rest of the classes, which are given in all periods. That way we all get the opportunityto take the class and learn more about ourselves. CHS also has a club by the name of MECHA. MECHA stands for Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan. This club also teaches and has to do with Mexican Americans. Everyone is invited to join the cllub. You don't have to be Mexican American to join. So come on, teach us about Mexican stuff once in a while. Read books to us from Chicano writers. Not everything we do has to be about the US. It would be cool to have Chicano plays preformed by the drama club once in a while. We need to change someday or another.
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