Sylvia Mendez was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama on February 15, 2011.
A landmark court case involving an Orange County family and local school districts that helped bring about the end of segregation laws in schools around the country will be a mandatory element of history and social science classes in California public schools.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Friday, Sept. 20, requiring public schools in the state to teach Mendez v. Westminster. The passage of AB 1805, introduced by Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana and Assemblymember Tri Ta, R-Westminster, is considered important recognition of Latino discrimination and the role that one Orange County family played in fighting against it.
The 1947 federal court case centered on events that began in 1943, when Sylvia Mendez and her brothers were turned away after attempting to enroll at Seventeenth Street School in Westminster. Instead of accepting the students, district officials told the Mexican-American children to attend a “Mexican school.”
In response, their parents, Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez, along with four other Mexican-American families, filed a class-action lawsuit against four school districts in Orange County. Their efforts proved successful, with the U.S. district court ruling in 1947 that the segregation of Mexican and Mexican American students into separate schools was unconstitutional.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Friday, Sept. 20, requiring public schools in the state to teach Mendez v. Westminster.
In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a similar ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which involved discrimination against Black students, declaring racial segregation in education to be unconstitutional.
Language in the California bill signed by Newsom spells out how the two cases are connected, saying Mendez “represents the beginning of the end of legal school segregation and signifies the important role of California in the civil rights movement.”
Supporters of the new law say the Mendez story will have value for current and future students in California.
“Today marks a historic moment for California’s educational system and our commitment to justice and equality,” said Ta. “The signing of AB 1805 is a testament to the importance of remembering our history and ensuring that future generations understand the significant strides California has made in the fight for civil rights. “I am proud to see this crucial piece of legislation become law, and I extend my deepest thanks to Governor Newsom, my legislative colleagues, and all the advocates who supported this effort.”
Other efforts have already been made to shed light on the Mendez case. In Westminster, a park and a trail at Westminster Boulevard and Olive Street bear the name of the Mendez family.
Umberg, who helped secure funding for the Mendez Historic Freedom Trail and Monument in Westminster, said he believes in “the power of the Mendez v. Westminster story,” and that the story is an important part of Orange County history.
The legislation, which passed both chambers of the state legislature with bipartisan support, was also supported by the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, California Charter Schools Association, California State PTA, California Federation of Teachers and the cities of Fountain Valley and Westminster.
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