MORE THAN GRANDPA CAN PROCESS

SOMETIMES GRANDPA REMEMBERS TOO MUCH

The student massacre in Tallahassee

in February at Marjory Stoneham Douglas

knocked the sails out of lots of folk, Grandpa

included. Grandpa taught high school journalism

for years. He wrote a Letter to the Editor

to the Tallahassee Democrat and told them

to support student writers. He knew what

they could do. Their critics said they were

under the influence of left wing media.

That pissed Grandpa off even more.

When his letter was published

he was attacked. The writer called

the murderer a perp, saying we need

those guns to keep out socialists.

Grandpa advised the school paper

in 1988 when the Hazelwood decision

came down from the Supreme Court.

Student journalists on The Spectrum

sued their principle when he censored

stories on divorce and teen pregnancy.

Hazelwood East High School, St. Louis County Missouri.

1983. Decision came down in 1988.

Students lost 5-3 decision. Administrators

could exercise prior restraint.

He remembered those days in his school.

The kids are all right,

Grandpa thought. Always have been.

Now they're shot full of holes.

Murdered in their own schools.

Shot full of holes. Those red pencils.

Red pencils and so many bullets.

Jim Bodeen

5 March 2018