Recent Activities
In the 2006 HBO film Walkout, Castro's role was played by Michael Peña. Edward James Olmos directed the film.
Also in 2006, Castro was highly critical of radio DJs who encouraged students to walk out of classes in protest of United States House of Representatives resolution 4437, which, if passed by the United States Senate, will impose stiffer penalties on unauthorized immigrants and their employers. While not opposed to the demonstrations themselves, Castro was concerned that those encouraging the protests did not accompany the students to protect them as he and the other organizers of the 1968 walkouts had.
He also publicly denounced the members of the Minuteman Project as racists.
Castro continued to lecture student groups across the country and helps run leadership conferences for high school students.
On October 13, 2009, the Los Angeles Board of Education voted to name a new Middle School,located on the campus of Belmont High School, Sal Castro Middle School. The school was officially dedicated on Saturday June 5, 2010 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“As President Obama said when told that he had won the Nobel Peace Prize, I too am surprised and honored that a school is being named after me,” said Castro, visibly moved by the honor. “It is extremely humbling for me and East L.A. kids to be put on the same list with giants of our country, including Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington, Grant, Roosevelt, and Garfield; also, Kennedy, Mendez and Ochoa. “I know that by naming a school after me you are really honoring the students who, 41 years ago, tried to improve education with their courageous walkouts,” he added.
“The naming of the Middle school on the Belmont High School campus in honor of Sal Castro is much more than a token acknowledgement of his long career in education; it serves as a constant reminder to those staffing the school and to those served by the school, to strive for the model of education to which Sal Castro has devoted his entire life” said former student and mentee Carlos R. Moreno, a current California Supreme Court judge who spoke before the board in favor of naming the school after his mentor.
Castro was a Park and Recreation Commissioner for the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation.
Read more about this topic: Sal Castro
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