RMN article about 1994 school walkout

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July 24, 1994

Coalition plans school walkout

Hispanic groups say protest will force Denver schools to address their concerns

Alan Dumas; Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer BODY: A coalition of Hispanic groups is planning a Sept. 16 walkout for Denver Public Schools students.

All students will be encouraged to join in a show of solidarity, leaders at a community meeting of the Latino Education Coaltion announced Saturday. ''We realize that many people, including parents, will be upset by this walkout, and rightly so,'' coalition co-chair Nita Gonzales said. ''But what have we got to lose? Latinos have the lowest scores and the highest dropout rate. If we all stand together and unify, maybe something will be done.''

Hispanic students account for 43% of the district's enrollment. The walkout is a protest against what Gonzales characterized as a long history of failure by the school board and administration to address Hispanic concerns. Sept. 16 is the anniversary of Mexican independence from Spain. The coalition will organize parents to help lead the walkout. Members will raise money to buy fliers and newspaper ads, Gonzales said.

The walkout represents the latest in a history of skirmishes between DPS and the Latino Education Coaltion. In January, the coalition presented the school board with seven goals for academic progress for Hispanic students. The walkout is one of several strategies to keep the board's attention focused, Gonzales said. ''I wish they would give us a chance. I think the board is listening and is trying to respond to the concerns of the community,'' said Aaron Gray, a board member working with the coalition. ''I just wish they would give dialogue a chance without having to go to the extreme of walking out. A walkout helps no one.''

Many Hispanic leaders have protested the appointment of Irv Moskowitz as superintendent. The walkout will come during his first month in office. A parents' advocacy group called Padres Unidos has filed a class-action complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights, said plaintiff Lucia Aguilar-Navarro. ''We're all concerned with the worsening direction DPS is heading, not just for Latinos but for all kids,'' she said.

One of the group's goals is to end busing and return students to their neighborhoods, where they feel wanted and where parents can have more control.

Also on Saturday, state Sen. Don Mares, D-Denver, announced several legislative initiatives to benefit Hispanic educational needs, including full- day kindergarten and a program to give parents paid time off to get involved in the schools.