WALKOUT

US, 2006, 110 minutes, Colour.

Alexa Vega, Michael Peña, Yancey Arias, Laura Harring, David Warshowsky, Holmes Osborne.

Directed by Edward James Olmos.

Walkout is one of the many find feature films made by HBO during the 1990s and into the to thousands. Many of them and strong social themes like Boycott, about the Montgomery bus boycott which is referenced in this film.

The film was directed by Hispanic actor, Edward James Olmos, who appears in a small but central role in the film as the mediator between protesting students and education boards.

The setting is 1968, East Los Angeles, social oppression of the Latinos, called Chicanos. They are victimised in schools, even to physical punishment, close toilets during recess, forbidding of the use of Spanish language… Several teachers and principals are seen but are not particularly sympathetic despite their protests.

At the centre of the film is a young student in her final year at school, played by Alexa Vega (the Spy Kids series). She has a Filipino father who is quite strict and narrow in his perspectives on his place in society. Her mother is more open. She becomes involved with a group at school, discussions about the situation, moving into action, the planning and carrying out of the survey to get student opinion, presentation to education boards. Inspired by Montgomery, the students designed on the tactic of protest by walkout from classes. Some hesitant. Others eager. Eventually, the police arrive and exercise the kind of police brutality familiar from the putting down of protests at university campuses or in Chicago at the Democratic convention that year.

Also at the centre is a young teacher, previously in difficulty and fired, played by Michael Peña. He supports the students but urges them to prudence and good judgement.

The teacher and some of the ring leaders are arrested, further demonstrations, mediation, legal appeals, even to the Supreme Court.

The walkouts did achieve good effects, especially by 1969 and legislation and support of Chicano children, in schools and with University entrances.

1. Based on actual events? East Los Angeles? Schools? 1968?
2. The atmosphere in 1968, the Vietnam war, conscription, deaths and injuries? Protest? The status of Hispanic families in California? The forbidding of Spanish in schools? School conditions – locked toilets…?
3. East Los Angeles, streets, homes, schools, churches? The feel of the times? The musical score?
4. The motivations for protest, the reaction of authorities, security, police, anti-Communist fears? Subversion? The action of the police, severe, violence, beatings? The role of the media, the interpretation of the events? Stigmatising the students?
5. The focus on Sal? His age, background, demonstrations and protests, being fired, coming to Los Angeles, his role as a teacher, his classes, the writing out of Hispanics in American history, the fact that the California Constitution was written in both Spanish and English? The article in Time magazine and its description, derogatory, of Hispanics and East Los Angeles? His support of the students, going to the meetings, wisdom, offering strategies? His relationship with the other teachers? His going to the meetings, involved in the walkouts? In the reviews of the walkouts? The discussions with Paula, being a sounding board, urging her to think out the consequences?
6. Paula, age, experience, scholastic ambitions, college, the severe father, his Filipino background, her mother and the story of her pregnancy, supporting her daughter? The other children? Her father, not wanting her to go to the camp, her mother signing? Her friendships at the school, boys and girls? Going to the camp, the activities, the exhilaration, the speeches, inspiration? Her becoming involved with the students, the protests? The experience of the locked toilets during recess? The severity of the Anglo teachers? Her reliance on Sal? Having to make decisions, her future, at the camp and the discussions about careers in enrolments? Making further friends, going to the meetings, her father’s reaction, slipping in late at night? The father catching her?
7. The meetings, the other members of the group, at school, classes, discussions, the boy forced to sweep the yard and his walking out, leadership, the students in military gear? The idea of the walkout, memories of Montgomery Boycott? Decisions, votes, the representatives of the schools? Sal and his cautions? The day, 9 o’clock, the call, hesitations, the walkout, banging on the doors, the students leaving, going outside, the media, protests? On television?
8. The meetings, decision to continue, hesitations, agreements, the day itself, the walkouts, Paula trapped in the class, the teacher locking the door? The police presence, the police brutality, the media? The extended sequences of the police bashings? The background of the surveillance, photographing the students, black-and-white images?
9. Through the teachers, Anglo attitudes, treatment of the students, the principal, Paula and her parents and the discussions with the principal, her possible suspension? The students attending the board meeting, the postponement of their petition? The idea of the survey, Paula and her writing, the distribution, the students filling in the details? After the first walkout, the promise that the matters would be considered by the board?
10. The impact of the arrests and imprisonment? The effect on the group? The meetings, discussions? The decision for further walkouts?
11. The next walkout, the reaction of the teachers, the police standing by, the students with the placards, munching to the police centre, the release of Sal, his leaving the crowd? The release of the students?
12. Paula and her role, going to see her father at his workplace, his having seen her at the demonstration, allowing her to continue with her campaign? Her mother participating in the marches?
13. Paula and her liking for the young man, the issue of the prom, the kiss? Discovering that he was in the police, that it is undercover, giving the information to the police, his pleading with her?
14. Mr Nava, his support of the students at the first meeting? His arriving, the negotiations? The various students and their speeches, the demands, education for all, Spanish-language, no corporal punishment, students not doing janitor work as punishment, the opening of the toilets…?
15. The achievement of the demonstrations of 1968 – coming to fruition in 1969?
16. The importance of the final credits, the actual characters, Sal, Paula, their being interviewed, their comments on what happened in the past, their achievement? The range of other students, the later careers, their perspectives on 1968?