Chicana/o Community Resistant Capital in Crawford v. Los Angeles Board of Education (1963–1982)

• In Event: 18.022 - Dimensions of Community Cultural Wealth Across Time and Place: Chicana/o Efforts for Educational Equity

Abstract

This paper is a community history of the Crawford v. Los Angeles Board of Education, 458 U.S. 527 (1982) desegregation case. During this nearly twenty year legal battle (1963-1982), Crawford transformed from a local Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) dispute into a statewide referendum on mandatory desegregation busing, which culminated in a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. This paper will focus on Chicana/o community experiences and perspectives of school desegregation efforts. Contrary to the majoritarian narrative, ample archival evidence indicates that the Chicana/o community actively sought to engage in the desegregation process. However, during this period of time bilingual education was unquestionably prioritized over desegregation as the central educational issue for the Chicana/o community. Consequently, institutional figures that opposed integration framed the costs of mandatory desegregation busing as a threat to existing bilingual education programs. Thereby, intentionally eroding interest and support of Crawford desegregation efforts among the Chicana/o community.

This paper is guided by a Critical Race Theory (CRT) in Education framework (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995; Solórzano, 1997) and the resistant capital concept from the community cultural wealth model (Yosso, 2005). Yosso defines resistant capital as “knowledges and skills fostered through oppositional behavior that challenges inequality (2005, p.80). This paper examines ways in which the Chicana/o community advocated for collective and at times competing educational priorities. Also challenging the assertion that Chicana/o community were uninterested and detached party to desegregation efforts in Los Angeles. Judge Paul Egly, who presided over this case from 1977-1981, has written that the predominantly white communities of West L.A. and the San Fernando Valley advocated loudly and strongly for their positions on the matter of desegregation. He also pointed out that “an equally vocal call for reform from the African-American community but not from the growing Hispanic population of the city” (2010, p. 293). This characterization of Chicana/o community implies that the absence of any group input into desegregation “reforms” is due to a lack of interest.

But as as María Montes, a Chicana/o community representative, stated in the Los Angeles Times “I was going to say they showed a lack of consideration for us. But it was really a lack of respect. We constantly had to remind them, ‘Hey we’re here!’ We’re the largest minority in this district. How many time do we have to say that?” (Del Olmo, 1977). Drawing upon archival sources such as the LAUSD Board of Education records, Los Angeles Times newspaper database, NAACP records, and MALDEF records, this paper highlights the long ignored voices and actions of Chicana/o community members in the battle over desegregation in Los Angeles. Revisiting past struggles for justice, undoubtedly informs our current day efforts towards educational equality. It is important to learn from previous acts of resistance, but it is also essential that we honor the time, labor, and sacrifice that went into those previous endeavors. Only then can we fully acknowledge the richness and resiliency of marginalized communities.

Author

• Ryan Edward Santos, California State University - Long Beach