Question

Are Walkouts Allowed?
As student walkouts are becoming popular
yet again, many students and teachers are
wondering if a walkout breaks school rules, and
if students can or should be punished for
participating.
Students should know that the Supreme
Court-- the highest court in America-- has said
that students have the right to express their
political opinions in school as long as learning or
safety is not disrupted. However, the court did
not say students have the right to leave the
school building. So students should be aware
that leaving school for a walkout could earn them
the same consequences as just skipping class.
Regardless of the possible consequences, we
have probably not seen the end of student
walkouts in America. Students will likely
continue to use this strategy to get involved in
important political issues that affect their lives.
Los Angeles, California, 1968
Mexican-American students in 1968 Los
Angeles faced frequent mistreatment at school.
They were not allowed to speak Spanish at
school, and the lessons and textbooks ignored
Mexican-American history and culture. Schools
were kept in poor condition and students were
barred from using the restroom during lunch.
Teachers and counselors did not encourage
Mexican-American students to go to college.
Instead, they directed them towards manual
labor jobs.
The students became fed up with the inferior
conditions of their school and with continued
discrimination based on their ethnic
background.
The walkouts began at Garfield High School.
Hundreds of students walked out chanting
“Viva la revolución.” The police were called
and organizers were arrested. But the walkouts
soon spread to nearby schools. 22,000 students
walked out over the course of the event and
inspired many Mexican-American youth to
become more active in the larger Mexican-
American movement for equal rights. This
movement is often referred to as the Chicano
Civil Rights Movement. Chicano is a word
some Mexican-Americans use to describe
themselves. It became a popular term during
What was the central idea of the entire article? Write it in the box below.
2. What are the names of the subheadings in the article? Write them on the lines provided.
3. What is the central idea of the first subsection? Write it in the space provided.
4. What is the central idea of the second subsection? Write it in the space provided.
5. What is the central idea of the third subsection? Write it in the space provided.

Answer 1

1. Central idea of the entire article:
Student walkouts are a form of political expression that can lead to punishment if they disrupt school or involve leaving the building, but historically they have been used successfully to protest injustice and spark broader social movements.

2. Subheadings in the article:
- Are Walkouts Allowed?
- Los Angeles, California, 1968
- (discussion of the) Chicano Civil Rights Movement

3. Central idea of the first subsection:
The Supreme Court protects students’ right to express political opinions in school as long as learning and safety aren’t disrupted, but leaving school for a walkout can be treated like skipping class.

4. Central idea of the second subsection:
In 1968 Los Angeles, Mexican‑American students faced discrimination and poor school conditions, so tens of thousands walked out in protest.

5. Central idea of the third subsection:
The 1968 walkouts helped inspire the Chicano Civil Rights Movement and increased Mexican‑American political activism; the term “Chicano” became a popular self‑identifier.