Sal Castro

Sal Castro was an American educator and activist who played a pivotal role in the East L.A. walkouts of March 1968. As a social studies teacher at Lincoln High School, Castro recognized the educational inequalities faced by Mexican American students in Los Angeles. He began teaching Mexican and Mexican American history and culture, fostering pride in their heritage.

When school administrators ignored student demands for change, Castro helped organize walkouts. Between 15,000 and 20,000 students from seven high schools participated, protesting overcrowded classrooms, underqualified teachers, and a curriculum that steered them toward vocational training rather than college preparation. The walkouts were inspired by the Watts Riots and the broader civil rights movement. The students' demands included bilingual education and the hiring of more Latino educators. Despite facing arrests and losing his job, Castro was eventually reinstated, and the charges against the organizers were dropped.12