Author Spotlight
Mason Sajna
Alex Sajna
Ryder Hendon
Coverage of East’s student-led peaceful protest on Monday, Nov. 27. The protest occurred outside the school in the circle drive and along Mission Road with students calling for change.
I went there nearly 60 years ago…graduated in 1967. It was the same then only worse. There were only white students then. Racism galore. I hated the place and did not really belong there at all. Lots of rich white privileged kids then, and this long haired Jew was anything but wealthy. I was also in the process at the time of becoming who I am. My parents taught me to not be a racist. My grandpa was a communist. I was constantly at war with other students and the administration. I lived in a small enclave located in Mission, Kansas. My block was actually divided between East and North. Mostly I hung out with kids from North and some other schools.
I complained bout the racist talk and action then to the administration. They didn’t take it seriously at all. By the way what the administration was concerned with at the time was the length of my hair (I was one of the first long haired hippie types around the area back then). I was suspended a number of times for my long hair.
Fifty years later I was thrown out of the Class of 67 Shawnee mission East Facebook page, for being too political (anti racist). I will say this, you would not have gotten much more than me to walk out back then.