Paul Strelzin successfully battled Border Patrol to protect Bowie staff, students
Paul Strelzin, the radio host and sports announcer who earned the nickname "The Mouth" for his antics as an announcer for the El Paso Diablos, also was a longtime El Paso educator. He was principal of Bowie High School from 1992-1997 when tension between the school and the Border Patrol was high.
Paul Strelzin takes helm at Bowie High
June 24, 1992, El Paso Times:
Count on the Bowie Bears to growl louder under the leadership of Paul Strelzin, the owner of El Paso’s most famous vocal chords.
El Paso Independent School District trustees named Strelzin the new principal at Bowie High School.
“It’s been a long time coming, but I’m happy,” Strelzin said after the announcement of his transfer to the South Side high school. “The bear is gonna growl. I’m going to make it the best.”
Strelzin is best known as the former public address announcer for the El Paso Diablos and the UTEP basketball team – jobs that earned him the affectionate nickname of “The Mouth.” But he also has been a teacher and administrator in the El Paso district for the past 25 years, including the last four years as principal of Lincoln Junior High.
More:Irritated ump boots ‘The Mouth’ for a song
Bowie principal lists gripes about Border Patrol
It wasn’t long, Aug. 26, 1992, until Strelzin took on the Border Patrol, complaining to the school board.
His complaints included:
A senior secretary was followed home by Border Patrol agents. The agents approached her outside her home and demanded to see what was in her back seat because, they said, they had seen some people hanging around her car. When they found nothing, they left without comment or apology.
A football coach taking players to a game at Jefferson was pulled over by a agent who put a gun to the coach’s head. After the coach produced identification, and his identity was verified by other Bowie coaches who pulled up shortly afterward, he was sent on his way.
Strelzin arrived at work to find a Border Patrol vehicle in the parking lot. When he asked the agents what they were doing, they said they were watching a drug deal in a white car. Strelzin didn’t see a white car, when he followed what he believed to be their line of sight, he saw the marching band and flag girls practicing. He believes the agents were watching students.
Agents have driven through the campus, destroying sprinkler systems.
More: Documentary 'The Time Has Come: A Border Community Stands Up to the U.S. Border Patrol'
Border Patrol responds
Aug. 30, 1992, El Paso Times:
El Paso Border Patrol Chief Dale Musegades, in answer to complaints from Strelzin, said his agents will keep chasing undocumented migrants across the campus.
Musegades offered no apologies for following Strelzin’s secretary home and checking her citizenship and car, or for the other incidents that Strelzin cited.
Group plans to sue Border Patrol over high school incidents
Sept. 25, 1992, El Paso Times:
A federal court will be asked to make the Border Patrol stay away from Bowie High School students and faculty who say they’ve been harassed by campus searches for undocumented immigrants, civil rights and immigration lawyers said.
“There’s no cause to be stopping people, holding guns to peoples’ heads and detaining people," San Antonio immigration lawyer Robert Greenblum said. "They’ve violated peoples’ Fourth Amendment (constitutional rights against improper search and seizure).…"
Injunction slapped on Border Patrol
In a Dec. 4, 1992 article, it was reported that U.S. District Judge Lucius D. Bunton III warned the Border Patrol in El Paso that it cannot stop and question any person about his or her citizenship based solely on the person’s Hispanic appearance.
Five Bowie High School students, the football coach and Strelzin’s secretary were suing the Border Patrol, claiming agents harassed them and others at and around the school.
More:Who'll play the Strelz? Strelzin sells his life story to filmmakers
Bowie’s bout with the Border Patrol and Hollywood
By March 1993, Bowie’s legal fight with the Border Patrol made The Wall Street Journal, with a page one profile of the school’s dilemma and principal Strelzin.
School officials said the Texas Film Commission received inquiries from Tri-Star Pictures and High Octane Productions interested in depicting Bowie’s story on film.
More:La Bowie High school celebrates milestone anniversary in South El Paso at 100: Trish Long
Chief announces retirement
In April 1993, El Paso Border Patrol Chief Dale Musegades announced he would retire July 3.
Musegades said recent criticisms did not directly affect his decision to retire.
“I’m aware of them, but it was not a big part of my decision,” he said, adding that possible legislation in Congress could lead to lowering retirement pay scales and survivor annuities. “You’re going to see an exodus of federal workers next fall.”
Silvestre Reyes, then chief of the sector based in McAllen, in South Texas, took over as the El Paso Sector chief on July 4.
Principal praises new attituded of Border Patrol chief
In a Jan. 27, 1994, interview, Strelzin said that the relationship between Border Patrol agents and school had improved dramatically over the past several months.
“Obviously, the attitudes changed when Judge (Lucius) Bunton issued the injunction,” Strelzin said. “But things really started to change” when Border Patrol Sector Chief Silvestre Reyes came to El Paso.
“There’s an entirely different atmosphere now,” he said. “We don’t have agents coming onto campus anymore. Plus, if they’re going to come, they call beforehand and let us know.”
Reyes “has a better understanding of the border and a lot better control of his agents,” Strelzin said. “They know that he’s the man in charge.”
More:Building of Cordova Island Bridge between Juárez, El Paso began in 1949
Border Patrol won’t detain people for looks alone
In February 1994, a settlement was reached in federal court with an agreement by El Paso agents not to detain people just because they look Hispanic.
An article from Feb. 18, 1994, reported:
“This campus is finally the free educational institution that it should have been since the beginning,” lawyer Barbara Hines said at Bowie after U.S. District Judge Lucius Bunton announced the settlement.
The Border Patrol has consistently denied wrongdoing. But El Paso Border Patrol Chief Silvestre Reyes said, “We’re glad to have the opportunity to put the issue behind us. The situation has been difficult for us.”
Bowie Principal Paul Strelzin, who had been instrumental in bringing the complaints to public attention, said, “I never thought in my wildest dreams this would come to fruition. But the students persisted.”
Strelzin died in his sleep April 26, 2013, at the age of 75.
Trish Long may be reached at tlong@elpasotimes.com or 915-546-6179.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Paul Strelzin battled Border Patrol to protect Bowie staff, students
