Chapter 9

The following morning, Wednesday, Roger found out that Mr Leeds did indeed want to see him, so after the swim team practice, he went to the principal’s office.

“Good morning, Mr Denison,” Leeds began. “I’ve heard from Mr Winters that he’s had some problems with you; you hurt his wrist and you’ve disobeyed his requests.”

“Yes, sir, I did do those things. Did he tell you the entire sequence of events?”

“He told me that when he was trying to speak with you, you ignored him. He tried to get your attention by taking hold of your arm. He also is in charge of the Program here, and you were refusing to implement some of the Program rules.”

“Ah, okay,” Roger answered, “first. He grabbed my arm and pulled it. I was holding a timer in that hand; I was timing a practice race heat and watching the swimmers to check their techniques—cadence, stroke, that stuff. He interrupted me. He ignored my request to wait, so I removed his hand. I’m fairly strong; I may have used a bit too much pressure, but my concentration was elsewhere. Tell me, sir, if he were to try that with the football coach—let’s say he was watching the team run a complex play—and Mr Winters came up and tried to stick his face into the coach’s, what would have happened?”

“Ha. He’d be flat on his rear,” Leeds said, smiling. “I see. Same thing, right?”

“Yes, sir. We have so little time for practice; every moment is precious. I couldn’t stop the racers’ heat; they were doing a timed swim and that would have wrecked the morning’s practice schedule. As an administrator, he should have known that. Maybe he does now, I hope.”

“Yes, and the other matter?” Leeds asked.

“Okay, he expects the teams to play naked. That’s totally absurd. First, it’s not in the Program—other than as a suggested enhancement that schools can add as an option—and it’s absolutely insane to expect that sports be played without using the proper equipment. Every athletic sport requires the proper equipment and swimming and diving is no exception; even though the athletes seem virtually naked, the suits we wear are vital for protecting sensitive body parts as well as streamlining the body for proper performance. Try a naked racing dive, sir. I did, just once, and I still hurt after about three or four hours.”

“Mr Winters said that the ancient Greek athletes...”

Roger put up his hand. “Nothing like today’s sports, sir. The Greeks never had swimming competitions anyway, so he can’t use that as an example. But even when naked, they used some protection. From their artwork, we can even see that sometimes the Greeks tied their penises up in certain cases, so we actually don’t know just how much they used protective gear. Try running a race with your cock flopping. After a while, it’ll start hurting. Also, the Greek artwork is just artwork. Greek art also shows naked troops in battle. I’m certain that never happened, naked soldiers in battle, so it’s possible that a lot of the naked Greek art is artistic license, even though there are also written references by ancient writers about naked Greek sports. But many of those works were actually by Roman writers from hundreds of years later. So using Greek art as a reason to require naked modern sports is not only stupid, it also shows a total ignorance of history. Was that what you wanted to see me about, sir? Those two issues?”

“Yes, basically. All the other coaches are up in arms about their teams, and the gym teachers are hesitant to try to enforce gym nudity.”

“You could have a real student rebellion if you tried that. I’ve heard that there’s already some kind of resistance being shown by some students in their participating in the Program,” Roger commented.

“Yes, that’s happening now and seems to be spreading. Mr Winters tells me that he’s found the source of the resistance and will be suspending the students involved.”

“Tell me, sir, is that a wise move? Seems to me the result could be martyring them; then they’ll become the symbol of the resistance,” Roger said.

“That’s a good insight, son. He insists that it’s an appropriate step, though, based on how a lot of other schools have dealt with similar problems. He’s not made up his mind completely yet, so I’ll mention your comment to him. Well, that’s all I have. We’ll let these matters drop now, and I don’t believe that these issues will cause any further disagreement.”

“Okay, sir; thanks. Call me if you need to talk again; I generally can meet after morning practices. Have a good day...”

Roger left and called Cynthia as soon as he got out of the school.

“Hey, Cyn,” he said when she answered, “just spoke to Leeds and he said Winters is on the verge of suspending Kevin, maybe Denise too. If you see them at lunch—you’re going then? Okay, then tell them what I heard. See ya in classes later, sis.”

Kevin’s day in school was routine; Cynthia did stop into the lunchroom, and speaking to him privately, relayed Roger’s message.

“I guess he didn’t want to text you that, or send an email. Roger’s always been very security conscious over sending private stuff electronically,” she explained.

Then they went back to the lunch table, which had become an unofficial Program hangout.

“So any Program incidents today?” Cynthia inquired.

“No, but this is kinda gettin’ to be a pain,” Valerie complained. “I’m cold. I sit in class, shivering now; I can’t pay attention. I don’t know what’ll happen with the kids who have to do this in the winter.”

“In our North Carolina school they had to raise the heat in the classrooms,” Denise said. “Then the clothed kids complained that the warmth was making them drowsy. Nobody was happy.”

“Well, tomorrow I’m bringing a coverup,” Valerie declared. “I can’t afford to catch a cold and miss classes.”

Cynthia leaned over and whispered in Kevin’s ear, “Another item for the article.”

He nodded. Then Cynthia had to leave.

By Thursday afternoon, Kevin’s article was ready. It contained an outline of the Program’s proven shortcomings, showing how its objectives could not possibly be met, and citing the psychological damage suffered by many students. It gave the statistics of the adverse impact on average student grades suffered by students in schools where the Program ran, and mentioned the problems students experienced while participating. Then it explained the suggested resistance tactics and how all students could send a message to the school by taking part—those selected for the Program by refusing to participate, and others who could support and protect those who were compelled, for one reason or another, to participate. It mentioned the need to take advantage of personal protection, such as against becoming chilled, or for girls, protection during their menses.

With Jim’s—and probably his father’s—assistance, the substitute article was inserted into the uploaded file for the student paper. It was placed in the head story spot on page one with the headline, “Students Resist Naked Program.”

Kevin and Denise could hardly wait for Friday morning. It was a half-day of school; there was no swim practice and the morning dawned overcast and chilly. The two arrived at the school, planning to see how the Program kids were going to deal with undressing in the chilly morning air.

They didn’t undress outside; when the kids arrived, they simply bypassed the clothing boxes and went to their lockers where they stripped, leaving their clothes in their lockers. Then the two followed the group escorting the Program kids to the commons area to get their copies of the newspaper.

There it was, the article shouted from the front page with its bold, screaming headline. The newspaper was an immediate sensation and copies went flying out of the newspaper boxes. Soon some teachers appeared, curious about the commotion. Finally Leeds strode in, saw a paper, and turned bright red. He tried to confiscate copies and then attempted to grab the boxes of newspapers, but kids just hustled the extra copies away, and Leeds returned to his office carrying only a handful of copies.

During home room, Leeds announced over the PA system that the article had somehow been placed into the paper and that all students were ordered to ignore it, they were told to turn in their copies of the newspaper on pain of unspecified punishment, and that the Program would be continuing in the following week with no changes. He also promised that the parties who had sabotaged the newspaper would be punished.

But before the home room period was even over, news of the article, and copies of its text too, had already gone viral; kids had made photos of the article and posted the images on social media; mainstream news blogs were picking up the story and before the morning was over, several TV and radio news crews had arrived at the school, attempting to get details and people to interview. Gradually, news of the resistance movement began spreading, even outside of the Atlanta area.

The kids in Denise and Kevin’s home room were bursting with excitement over the article; then the student who had taken the attendance report to the office returned with additional news.

“Guess what I heard? Leeds was raking Winters over the coals. It seems Winters was the last person to have opened and looked at the newspaper layout before it went to the printers and he had okayed it for printing. So Leeds told him that he either must have missed the Program article or thought it was okay to be printed that way! No one on the paper staff said they knew about it and the newspaper’s computers were clean—there wasn’t any trace of that article. Hot damn!”

Kids were still on their phones checking social media sites and following the progress of the news as the bell rang.

During their next class, Kevin and Denise were paged to the office.

Kevin grinned at Denise. “This is the new normal, just like our junior year. No day is complete without getting paged to the office. Watch—we’re suspended. I brought my little recorder along just in case. If I’m right, it’ll be very useful.”

Winters wanted to see them.

“Mr Coris, Miss Roberts. I’ve verified that the two of you were behind the Program resistance movement and I’m certain that you’re also responsible for that newspaper article, although I have no idea how you could have managed sabotaging the paper. But because of your vocal resistence, I still hold you responsible for it. So as of right now, you’re suspended for a week pending my request to the school board to have you expelled.”

“Sir, we have the right to speak in our defense...” Kevin began.

“You don’t; you have nothing to say in your defense.”

“We also have the right to see a written copy of the offense for which we’re being suspended,” Kevin continued.

“I don’t have to give you anything. You will leave the school within ten minutes or I will have you charged with trespassing.”

“Okay, Denise, let’s go,” Kevin said, and they left, stopping back at their classroom to get their bags.

Kevin announced to the class, “We’ve been suspended by Winters for something—he won’t tell us what, but we think it’s because we’ve been talking to people about the Program. What do you guys think of that? Conviction with no evidence presented or any trial? We’ll be back soon, though.”

They left while the class broke up into an uproar and it was several minutes before the teacher could regain control of her class.

The two went to Kevin’s car from where he phoned Habers. His secretary told Kevin that he was in court but that he had already arranged for the temporary restraining order; she just needed to make a phone call to have it released. Kevin told her he was emailing Habers the audio clip from his verbal suspension order from Winters. About fifteen minutes later she called back.

“The TRO has just been faxed to your school; you can return now.”

Kevin thanked her, grinned at Denise, and they started back into the school. “Back into the fray, huh?” he said. “We’d better stop in the office to get a late pass.”

When they walked into the office and asked for passes, Leeds came out.

“You were suspended...” he began.

The secretary picked up a sheet.

“It’s a restraining order for them to return. Just came in.”

Leeds took it and read it. “Well, I guess you’re back in school. Shortest suspension on record,” he shrugged.

While they were getting their passes, they heard Leeds talking about them on the phone, to Winters, they figured. Leeds sounded quite angry.

Later, at lunch, the two were mobbed. As Roger had predicted, they had become minor martyrs in the anti-Program cause and most of the kids who tried to talk to them vowed that they’d never participate in the Program no matter what the threats. Some kids wanted to know how they could help in the anti-Program movement in other ways. It was at this moment that Cynthia appeared.

“Hey, guys, quiet for a sec!” Kevin called. Everyone fell silent. “I want to introduce one of the architects of the original anti-Program movement in the country. This is Cynthia Denison and she and her brother started the first movement in her school two years ago.”

Enthusiastic applause.

“This was in California, and her resistance was supported by her family, which happens to be a U.S. Marine family and the Marines helped Cindy and her school’s students in their resistance. Denise and I heard about how the kids in that school had successfully managed to all but gut the Program in that school, so we encouraged a lot of the kids here to do the same. That’s why they tried to suspend us, for talking about the Program. We learned that the best way to defend ourselves as students, to defend our rights as individuals, was to go on the offense, like the Marines do. When there’s a threat, they attack it before it causes them damage. So like the Marines, we’ll attack to protect our rights. Just say no!”

Everyone took up the chant, and Just say no! Just say no! Just say no! rang out in the lunchroom for about a minute. Then they broke into applause again.

Kevin spoke again, “So come Monday, everyone stands together, united, right?”

“Yes!” rang out.

It was an excited group of students that left the lunchroom when the bell rang, spreading the word throughout the school about the fully mature resistance.

When Kevin left school later, he had a message to call Habers, so he called back.

“Kevin, I didn’t have a chance to tell you that I certainly recall Cynthia and what she did for my daughter. I’m so delighted that you’re her friend and that I can help you. That audio file you sent was fantastic; your assistant principal broke state law in the way he tried to suspend you so I’d like to prepare a lawsuit against the school district on your and Denise’s behalf. We can meet to discuss it some time next week if you’re agreeable.”

Kevin was.

So they arranged a time to meet the following week.

When Kevin and Denise arrived home after the half-day of school, the others were getting ready to drive to the resort. The weekend weather was promising to be warmer with expected highs in the upper 70s. The four college students were very eager to learn about the reaction to the newspaper article and about the resistance in general, so on their trip south, Kevin and Denise related all of the day’s events.

“So they have no idea at all how the article got into the paper?” Tom asked.

“Someone heard that Leeds had the newspaper computers searched and didn’t find anything. Also, it seems that Leeds thinks that Winters was the last person to see the file,” Denise said.

“Probably it won’t occur to anyone that the file was changed after it went to the printer,” Kevin observed. “Because everything in it seemed to apply to Merritt, maybe they won’t think of outside tampering. After all, who else would care, except someone at Merritt?”