My grandson, Zach and I have been watching Wonder
Years on Hulu. It follows the experiences of a twelve year old boy, Kevin (Zach’s
age) and his friends during the late sixties. I hold the remote control and hit
pause whenever significant events or cultural issues come up so we can discuss
them, things like Civil Rights, sex education, and The Vietnam War.
In one episode, Kevin gets elected to home room
representative while he’s gone to the bathroom and can’t decline. In his first
student government meeting, a politically outspoken student suggests a student
walk out to protest the war in Vietnam. Kevin has seen news on the kitchen t.v., while he sets the kitchen table and was especially disturbed to see lines of refugees, with children, trying to flee their war-torn villages. He gets caught up in the cause but
almost backs out when the assistant principal, Mr. Diperna warns them of dire
consequences, including suspension and “It
will go on your permanent record”.
I remember the Vietnam war clearly. Harvey was my
true teenage love. I met him at church and things went well for a while. He
found solace there from his dysfunctional alcoholic family and was encouraged
by the rancher in his area who took him to church and mentored him. Then Harvey
got into some kind of trouble; I never knew what. The judge gave him two
choices: Go to juvenile detention or join the army. He joined the army. A year
later, he was dead. Hit by shrapnel in the chest. His body was shipped back to
the U.S. My friend Jessica went with me every day after school to the funeral
home, (until the funeral) where I cried by his casket. Harvey was nineteen. I
was seventeen.
So the story of Kevin and the student walkout caught
my attention. The day came. The teacher that had supervised the student
government meetings and encouraged their activism, was absent, supposedly home
with the flu, but more likely, protecting his job. Kevin sits in home room,
feeling very nervous. Suddenly, he dashes out of class without permission and
goes to the bathroom. As he’s washing his hands, he hears the sound of many
footsteps. He heads out into the hallway where the whole student body is
marching toward the front door. They exit onto a field, singing “All we are
saying is give peace a chance”. I teared up. I’m tearing up again as I write
this.
Kevin and the students did not get suspended. It did
not go on their permanent record. But
they went on record that day to protest a war that took so many lives and didn’t
accomplish its purpose. I go on record to agree with them.
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